Everything's Coming Up Dasey
by feed-fat-tommy
Summary: Long, slow burn Dasey. Updates frequently. What happens the summer after graduation? What happens in University? When will Derek and Casey admit they are destined to be together? Lots of drama, lots of Dasey. Sensitive themes. Everything is canon except the Life With Derek movie. May be rated M in the future.
1. Best Summer Ever!

**Chapter 1: Best Summer Ever!**

 _Disclaimer: I don't own Life with Derek or any of these characters._

 **Author's Note:** This chapter has been updated since it was first uploaded. Thank you to everyone who has stuck with this story from the beginning. As for new readers, I hope you enjoy the ride! Reviews are always welcome, they help me a lot in figuring out fun twists moving forward. I really enjoy hearing about what you expected coming in to the chapter, what surprised you, and what you predict moving forward. If you enjoy the story, please consider crediting me by giving this story a fave. Thanks, I appreciate it! I'm relatively new to this fandom, and it's been so fun writing these characters and their complicated relationship.

* * *

"Isn't this nice?" Casey chirped from the front seat of Truman's car, "All of us hanging out together!"

"It's not so much _hanging out._ " Derek countered, "More like…going to the same location at the same time."

Derek had been tightly stuffed in the back seat with Emily and Sam. He _always_ rode shot-gun, but not this time. Truman had invited Casey up to the front.

 _Hanging out with Casey and her boyfriend_ …Derek almost scoffed out loud at the idea, but he elected to roll his eyes instead. He crossed his arms and shifted uncomfortably into the leather seats of the hot car. He was incredibly aware of Emily's burning hand on his knee, and it only made him more uncomfortable.

"You might as well get used to it Derek." Casey said smugly. "Now that you're dating my best friend, you'll never be able to get rid of me!"

Emily squeezed Derek's knee in acknowledgement, and he offered a weak smile in return.

"Great." Derek mumbled.

"Don't worry, Derek." Emily said reassuringly, giving him another squeeze. "This is going to be the summer of our lives! Come on! We're on our way to a _party_ , not a funeral."

Derek fake-chuckled at Emily's lame attempt at hyping him up for what was sure to be the weirdest party he would ever attend. He couldn't stand the party host… _Truman_. Derek had always been a little skeptical of the guy; there was something off about him. Truman barged into his life as a rival, upsetting the school order by trying to sell himself as the new resident womanizer. It didn't help that Truman had eyes for Derek's keener step-sister, Casey. While Casey had been able to forgive Truman for his questionable ways, Derek remained suspicious. He was currently giving Truman one last chance for Casey's sake, but he didn't trust him. Truthfully, Derek didn't know why he cared about Casey's stupid boyfriend…she could make her own terrible decisions. But, like a sucker, Derek cared anyway.

He laughed doubtfully. "I don't know—"

Sam joined in "Yeah, come on D!" He smiled encouragingly. "Lighten up, man."

Derek painfully swallowed his pride. His best friend was right. He didn't want to be a buzzkill.

"Fine." Derek held up his hands in defeat. "I _guess_ I can make the best of it." Emily jumped around excitedly in her seat and tightly squeezed Derek's knee.

"Well, I know _I_ will be making the best of these next few months!" Casey gushed. "It's my last summer before I go off to University and I want everything to be perfect! I am _so_ excited, I have everything planned."

"Oh, we will _absolutely_ be making the best of this summer." Casey's slime-ball boyfriend said, winking at her deliberately as though he was trying to let everyone in on some secret joke. It seemed suggestive of something. Even though Derek couldn't see Casey's face, he could feel her blushing in the seat in front of him.

Any lingering hope Derek had for having a good time went out the window. He watched the houses on the street fly by, his mind wandering while the rest of the crew chattered excitedly about the graduation party. He wanted to say something sarcastic and cutting to Truman to show how annoyed he was with the whole situation. But, Derek knew it would just start a fight with Casey. The fighting wasn't really the problem though…Derek _loved_ fighting with Casey (it was fun). But, he knew that everyone in the car would take her side and the drive would become much more annoying.

As they drove on, Derek started noticing the houses progressively becoming larger…and more expensive looking.

"That's me up there." Truman pointed out his driver's side window.

"Oh my gosh!" Casey exclaimed. "That's where you _live_?"

"You've never been to Truman's house before Casey?" Emily laughed "You've been dating for like—Oh my god! Truman, your house is huge!"

"Whoa," Sam agreed.

Leaning forward to see past Truman, Derek had to admit that Emily was right. The house was big. It was almost comically enormous…perched upon a tall hill away from the surrounding properties.

 _Of course,_ _this guy would be loaded._ Derek fought the urge to groan in annoyance.

The car erupted into giggles. Derek would normally love the sound of giggling girls. Music to his ears! However, he was used to the sound being directed solely at himself. He hated how Truman seemed to be loving every bit of it.

"I didn't know you were _rich_ Truman!" Casey said, her tone a mix of awe and light-accusation, "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Please." Truman said with a cocky grin. "It's my parents, not me!" The girls once again burst into giggles.

 _This is torture_.

When Truman stopped the car and killed the engine, Derek couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. He needed to get out of that damn car. Stupid little German sports car with no room in the back seat! He would much rather be at home in his recliner, playing Babe Raider.

Truman opened his front door dramatically, as though he were Willy-fucking-Wonka. Casey and Emily held on to each other and ran inside, continually giggling like its all they knew how to do anymore. Derek hung back with Sam and they slowly made their way into the lavish entrance hall.

The house was even more impressive inside. "Food and drinks are this way." Truman announced, guiding them all forward. "People will be here any minute, so let's have a toast." He passed around champagne glasses and popped open a bottle as if it were an incredible feat.

Sam mustered a small "Woo!"

The girls jumped around, squealing enthusiastically, sufficiently impressed. Derek wasn't sure how Casey could be so oblivious. He could see right through Truman…so why couldn't she? Every time Derek saw them with each other, he regretted getting them back together. It was too late though. It would be stupid of him to try and do anything about it now.

He was impatient for the party to start, so that he could avoid the happy couple. He didn't need the continuous torture of watching Casey gush over Truman's smug ass all night. He hooked his arm around Emily's waist and pulled her closer. Emily was a little shocked by the sudden embrace, but she turned her attention to him, beaming and wrapping herself around him.

Truman started to a pour a glass of champagne for Casey, while everyone (but Derek) chuckled joyously. Derek had decided he would be a good sport, and keep his mouth shut, but he simply couldn't hold it in anymore.

"Yay…" He groaned in mock-excitement. All eyes turned to him. "Three more months of _this_! Best summer ever…"

Truman stopped pouring. Everyone's eyes darted to Casey, whose own glare was locked on Derek like a heat-seeking missile.

"Der-ek!" She snapped. Classic Casey. Derek felt Emily slip out from his arm, as everyone wisely distanced themselves from the quarreling duo. "Need I remind you that you wouldn't have even been invited if you weren't with Emily? I'm not going to let you ruin my night!" They stared each other down.

Derek knew his mere presence could ruin Casey's night. The party seemed to mean a lot to her for some odd (probably dramatic) reason. He gave in and rolled his eyes. After all, he didn't want to be a buzzkill.

Casey seemed satisfied with his yield. "Let's have a toast!" She exclaimed. She grabbed the bottle of champagne and subsequently poured it into the empty glasses everyone had been awkwardly holding on to.

"To the best summer ever!" She cheered.

"To the best summer ever!" The group shouted, preparing to clink glasses. Casey shot a disapproving look at Derek, who hadn't said anything. The group waited with her.

"To the best summer ever…" Derek conceded, clinking Casey's glass as a token of good faith.

 _Clink, clink…clink._ Derek downed the hatch. Casey gingerly sipped her champagne with a bright smile. She looked so happy and relaxed. Derek became aware of the stiffness in his body and allowed himself to relax too. If _Casey_ of all people could have fun tonight, so could he.


	2. Access Denied

**Chapter 2: Access Denied**

 **Warning** **:** _This chapter deals with themes of sexual assault and can be triggering._ **Spoiler : **_All characters end up safe._

 _The party: Casey's POV_

* * *

Casey sipped her champagne. She felt light and bubbly, like nothing could bring her down. Not even _Derek_. So far, things seemed picture perfect. Casey knew this was going to be the night of her life. She had everything planned, and she _certainly_ planned on having an amazing night. She held on to the belief that one night could set the tone for the entire summer. She wanted adventure and romance before University started in the fall. She wanted to feel grown-up. Mature. She didn't want to be the 'Grade-Grubber' or 'Klutzilla' _ever_ again. She imagined she would poetically blossom over the summer, into the new and improved Casey McDonald; cool, fun, University Casey.

Everything was falling into place. Even _Derek_ , who had the biggest chance of ruining her night, started going along with it.

The plan hit a snag when a massive crowd started spilling into the party. Casey lost sight of her friends in the sea of faces. She scanned the crowd and wandered for a while but couldn't find Truman. She elbowed past people who couldn't care less that she was struggling. Casey realized that it was probably a downside that the house was _so_ huge that she could lose her boyfriend. This surely wasn't a part of her party plan. She spotted Derek and Emily standing together by the giant staircase. Casey knew that it was an important night for Emily; her first party being seen _as_ Derek's girlfriend. She decided not to intrude…not that she would want to hang out with _Derek_ at this party _anyway_.

Sam was lounging on a long leather couch, nursing a beer. Casey plopped down next to him. "Having fun yet?" She asked.

"Yeah." Sam said, earnestly. "You?" Sam had always been a man of few words, which was one of the many reasons he and Casey never worked as a couple. Sam meant well, but he was a little boring. Casey needed someone who could challenge her in all the right ways. _Like_ _…Truman_.

"Not as much as I had hoped." She admitted, "I lost Truman a little while ago. I'm starting to think he's avoiding me." She joked, but in the back of her mind, she worried. This whole situation reminded her of the last time she couldn't find Truman at a party…

"I'm sure he just has his hands full." Sam offered, "Lots of people here."

"You're probably right."

Sam offered Casey a beer. She accepted. She didn't even _like_ beer, but she was unsure of what to do with the vast array of alcohol available, so she thought beer would be a safe choice. She finished the bottle rather quickly and could already start to feel the affects of alcohol on her body. Casey had planned on sampling the alcohol a little bit, as a small act of controlled rebellion…but she was a lot more affected than she thought she would be by this point in the evening.

"I'm going to go look for Truman some more." Casey said, standing up and getting a slight headrush. Sam tipped his bottle toward her as a goodbye.

She made her way over to Derek and Emily. Derek seemed relieved to see her approaching, which was weird.

"Have either of you seen Truman?" She asked them, hopefully.

Derek's face fell. "He's talking to every girl at this party _but you_!" He said coolly, "Or haven't you noticed?"

Casey's mouth fell open and she stammered, "Y—you're lying Derek!"

"See for yourself." Derek motioned toward the kitchen.

Stomping to the kitchen, Casey tried to mentally talk herself down. Derek was _wrong_! Truman wouldn't be talking to other girls while she wandered around the party, alone… _again!_ She entered the kitchen to see a tipsy Truman chuckling with a few beautiful girls.

"The whole thing lifted off the ground!" Truman laughed, "True story." He exuded charm. The girls around him hung on his every word.

Casey felt a red-hot ball of anger in her stomach. She reassured herself; she didn't want to over-react. It _was_ a party, after all. Truman could talk to other people, girls included.

She sauntered over to Truman as confidently as she could manage. "Hey there." She said in a sweet, flirtatious voice.

"Oh, hey." He said dismissively, continuing his conversation with the other girls.

Casey felt a sting from his coldness. "Aren't you going to introduce me?" She pushed, still trying to sound flirtatious.

"Right, right." Truman said, annoyed, "Casey…this is Amber, Becca, and Kate. Everyone, this is…Casey." The girls eyed her and Truman suspiciously.

"Uh…hi." Casey said, weakly. She leaned into to whisper to Truman, "Aren't you going to introduce me as your _girlfriend_?"

Truman sighed, heavily. "Casey here…is my girlfriend." He announced dryly. "You happy?" He downed a shot of some kind of liquor from the kitchen counter.

The shock rendered Casey unsure of what to say. "What's your problem right now?" She blurted.

"Me? I don't have a problem." Truman laughed, "I'm just trying to have fun baby, but you always have to be such a buzzkill! You wanted to enjoy the party? Go! Go enjoy the party!" His words slurred as the alcohol caught up with him. Casey felt deeply hurt by his insensitivity. She had no idea where this side of Truman came from…she had never seen it before.

"I'm _trying_ to have fun, but it's kind of hard to do when my boyfriend ditches me!" Casey defended. The other girls backed out of the room together, awkwardly.

"See what you did Casey?" Truman groaned, "You're driving away my party guests! It's always _drama_ with you."

Casey couldn't believe Truman's behavior. She wasn't being dramatic, was she? She was just responding appropriately to how rude he was being to her! She wondered why he was being mean…it was supposed to be the perfect night.

"This night was supposed to be special…" She choked.

Truman sighed. He bowed his head and gazed up at her for a moment. "Maybe we should go talk in private…" He suggested; his tone soft and reassuring. Casey blinked, thrown by his change in demeaner.

"O—okay." She said breathily. At least Truman was putting in effort for her now. That's all Casey _really_ wanted…

She let herself be guided by the hand out into the main room and up the large staircase. She briefly noted that Derek and Emily had moved, but she didn't have time to look around for them.

The private place Truman was talking about was his bedroom, which was the first room at the top of the stairs. He led her inside and stood by the closed door while she shuffled anxiously in front of him, taking it all in. She realized this was the first time she had been in Truman's room…or _any_ guy's room (except Derek's, of course). Being in Truman's room made Casey feel strange…like she was somewhere she shouldn't be.

"Casey…" Truman sighed, "Look. I'm sorry. I don't want to fight. We're together now, that's all that matters." Casey relaxed slightly, and Truman approached her. "You mean a lot to me." He sounded so sincere, Casey couldn't help but let her anger slip away.

Truman guided Casey to sit on the edge of his bed. She tried not to panic from the excitement of sitting on a guy's bed for the first time (except Derek's, which she usually avoided at all costs).

"Tonight's a big night for both of us, and I should have given you more of my time," Truman whispered sweetly. Casey was really starting to feel better. Truman was saying all the right things.

"You're right" Casey said. She wanted everything to be okay between them; she wanted her perfect night to get back on track. "I'm sorry too. This is a big night for you, and you have a lot of guests to manage. I guess I got a little caught up in making tonight perfect. I'm sorry I freaked out."

"Tonight, is supposed to be a big night for _us_ too." Truman cooed, rubbing Casey's lower back. "We wanted some alone time tonight, didn't we?"

She could feel Truman's hot breath on her ear and she shivered uneasily. Truman took it as a good sign and started trailing light kisses down Casey's jaw and neck. It didn't feel right, and Casey was worried that someone would walk in.

"Yeah…" Casey lightly pulled away from Truman's lips, " _Alone_ time. There are still hundreds of people in this house. I meant _after_ the party." She _had_ wanted some alone time with Truman…but by the way he was acting, Casey realized that Truman might have very different ideas about what 'alone time' meant.

"Come _on_ Casey…." Truman protested. "Nobody is going to come in. I swear. Don't worry about it." He began kissing her collar bone.

"No, Truman!" Casey said. "This…this doesn't feel right to me. Let's just go back down to the party, okay?" Casey's idea of alone time was snuggling and kissing, _not_ whatever Truman had in mind! There was no _way_ Casey was ready for… _that_! Especially not _during_ a party. It was just so…so…dirty! Truman's hands grabbed at Casey's hips and alarm bells sounded in her head.

"Get _off_ me, Truman!" She shrieked. She struggled to push him away as she stood up from his bed. He slumped into the empty space she left, and then sluggishly righted his posture. "You're _drunk_ , Truman!" Casey accused. "What do you think you're doing?"

"What's the big _deal_ Casey?" Truman groaned, rolling his eyes. "You wanted to have fun tonight, but you are being the opposite of fun!"

Truman stood from the bed with some effort and walked toward her. The offended irritation she felt became saturated with anxiety as he came closer. He put on his best charming smile and stroked her arm.

"Calm down, baby." He murmured. Casey felt fury burning inside her. She _hated_ being told to calm down. "Have some _fun_ with me." He said, coming in for a kiss.

Before Casey could even process what was happening, her knee connected with Truman's groin. _Hard_.

" _OOF!_ " Truman crumpled. "What the _fuck_ , Casey?"

She got out of there as fast as she could.

 _Thud_ , she ran into someone. Strong arms secured her from falling. Shocked, Casey looked up.

 _Derek_.


	3. Family Jewels

**Chapter 3: Family Jewels**

 _I don't own Life with Derek or any of these characters._

 **Warning** **:** _This chapter deals with themes of sexual assault and can be triggering._ **Spoiler : **_All characters end up safe._

 _The party: Derek's POV  
_

* * *

As people filed into the house, Emily kept Derek close. He made some small talk with her. He was only half-listening to what she was saying. At first, Derek didn't mind the idea of spending the whole night with Emily; after all, she was sweet, and cute…and his girlfriend. But very quickly, Derek changed his mind. He felt stuck. He wanted to move around and socialize…make the best of the party. He and Emily stood by the ridiculously extravagant staircase while the party happened around them.

Derek noticed Casey wandering around by herself. She almost seemed lost. He smirked. At least he was having a better time than Casey. Part of him hoped she would come over and steal Emily away, or that Emily would leave to keep her company. But, Casey continued to wander around, and Emily was still annoyingly focused on him. He felt uncomfortable being stuck in such a couple-y role for everyone to see. Emily leaned up to kiss him on the cheek.

"I'm not really a fan of PDA, Emily. Remember?" Derek reminded her, looking around nervously.

"Oh, right. Sorry…" Emily said, backing down. She seemed understanding, but she couldn't hide her disappointment.

All Derek wanted to do was leave. He didn't even care about socializing anymore. He didn't recognize many people around him.

 _Who are all these people_? Derek wondered. Everyone from school was there, but there was also an older crowd. Weird for a _graduation_ party. Derek felt strangely out of his element, which was uncommon for him…and unnerving.

To say he felt stuck was an understatement. He didn't just feel stuck with Emily at the _party_ …he felt stuck with Emily, _period_. She had pined over him for so long, and even though he never had any strong feelings for her, he thought he would give her a chance.

 _What were you thinking?_ He asked himself. _She's Casey's best friend! You can never dump her_! It was at the party, stuck to Emily's hip, that Derek truly realized he did _not_ want to date her. It was so exhausting to try and remain interested in the things she was saying to him. His mind kept wandering, and he kept looking around to people-watch.

Derek noticed Truman chatting with a group of girls in the kitchen. He seemed to have collected quite the crowd. Derek rolled his eyes. Casey was sitting on the couch with Sam, completely oblivious.

"What's wrong, Derek?" Emily asked, noticing he had rolled his eyes, "Is it something I said?" Emily seemed nervous. She had been rambling for quite some time, trying to keep conversation flowing.

"Nothing." Derek said quickly, "I'm just annoyed because it's so loud in here." He lied, "It's hard to hear you." He gave her a sweet smile.

Emily smiled back and gave him a happy squeeze. He was glad to have smoothly dodged her question.

 _This is how it always is with girlfriends_ , Derek thought. He was putting on an act. Maybe things had been different with his ex, Sally…they had a genuine connection. He had maybe loved Sally (at least, they had reached the 'I love you' stage of their relationship). But there were still many moments with Sally when Derek felt like he was just pretending to be 'Mr. Perfect Boyfriend.' When Derek had a girlfriend, he would just tell them whatever they wanted to hear. He wasn't himself. He was tired of the whole charade. He didn't like being paraded around as a couple at Truman's party while Truman ignored Casey to talk to an ever-rotating pool of girls.

Some time passed, and Derek stayed silent, watching Truman out of the corner of his eye.

"Are you not having a good time with me?" Emily asked, suddenly.

The answer, of course, was: _No! I'm not!_ But, Derek couldn't say that. He looked around, trying to think of an appropriate answer, and he spotted Casey coming over to them. Her arrival offered Derek an opportunity to stall.

"Have either of you seen Truman?" She asked.

"He's talking to every girl at this party but you. Or haven't you noticed?" Derek directed his anger for Truman at Casey.

"Y—you're lying Derek!" Casey stumbled.

Of course, she wouldn't believe him! "See for yourself." He motioned to Truman. Derek knew that Casey would be upset by what she saw, but he knew that anything Casey would scream at Truman would be deserved. Perhaps she would even break up with him. Truman needed to be taken down a peg or two.

"Oh no! Poor Casey…" Emily sighed. "Is that true, about Truman?"

"That's just what you get from a guy like Truman." Derek stated plainly. "I'm going to get a drink." He needed some time away from Emily.

Derek walked across the room to the drinks table. He grabbed a beer from the cooler and opened it. He could see the kitchen from where he was standing. Much to his disappointment, Casey seemed to be relaxed with Truman…flirty even. He took a large swig of his beer and placed it back on the table, watching the scene unfold. He was pleased when he saw Casey snap. Truman's gaggle of girls snuck out of the kitchen and into the main room, past Derek.

One of the girls complained about Truman. "He was totally trying to get me to sleep with him tonight, and his _girlfriend_ is here! What an unbelievable ass!"

Anger flooded Derek's body. He felt himself being pulled toward the kitchen, but he backpedaled when he saw Truman and Casey coming his way, holding hands. He tried to blend in with the wall as they passed him.

Derek watched as Truman led Casey up the stairs. He briefly noticed that Emily had moved to sit with Sam on the couch, but he didn't care. Derek followed Casey from a distance until he reached the stairs.

 _What is she doing?_ Derek wondered. He wasn't naive, he knew what it meant when a couple snuck away during a party. Derek knew Casey well. Keener Casey was _not_ the kind of girl to sneak away for that kind of 'fun'. Casey was naive when it came to that kind of stuff…and Truman wasn't.

Worry crept up on Derek. He was suspicious of Truman. He needed to make sure Casey was okay. He would never admit it to his family and friends, but he felt protective of Casey. He didn't think of Casey as his sister—he never would…but that didn't mean he could let Truman hurt her!

Derek ascended the stairs, unsure of what would be waiting for him. When he reached the second floor, he heard Casey shriek and his heart skipped a beat. He hesitated for a moment. He imagined Casey's shriek might be followed by a giggle or an _'Ohhhhh Truman!_ ' The thought disgusted him.

 _What am I even doing?_ Derek shook his head. He almost turned to leave but he heard Truman shout.

Before he could react, the door swung open and Casey fell into his arms. He steadied her. She looked up at him in confusion, and relief flooded her face. They stared at each other for a moment while he held on to her.

 _Casey._

Truman limped out of his room, holding his 'family jewels'. He looked like he was in a lot of pain. Derek was pleased for a moment, imagining Casey hurting Truman in that way, running the image through his head.

He was pleased until the rich bastard opened his mouth.

"You bitch."


	4. The Pig, the Prince, and the Paragon

**Chapter 4: The Prince, The Pig, and the Paragon**

* * *

Casey gasped, clutching on to Derek. He was the one thing that kept her from falling to the floor. She was stunned. This night was a total disaster. _Truman_ was a total disaster. Everything was a _total disaster_! Casey could hardly comprehend what Truman was saying. She couldn't believe that her boyfriend would be so cruel to her. It seemed unfair that she had been so blissfully happy until recently.

"You _don't_ talk to Casey like that!" Derek spat at Truman. He held Casey tighter, with her hand resting on his chest. Caught in the middle, Casey's eyes darted between them.

The party below halted. Everyone heard the shouting and were watching the scene at the top of the stairs unfold. Sam and Emily made their way up to help manage the situation.

"You think you can just take advantage of my step-sister? Don't touch her _ever_ again!" Derek threatened.

Casey looked up at Derek in shocked confusion. He was being so protective of her. Derek hated her…didn't he?

 _Why was he up here in the first place?_ She wondered. _For me?_

Casey recognized the irony. Derek was supporting her and helping her. Derek was protecting her. _Derek_ , who was supposed to hate her! And Truman—her _boyfriend_ , didn't seem to care about her at all. None of it made any sense.

"Not like she'd let me" Truman laughed coldly. "Who knows…Maybe she'd put out for _you_ Derek. You want to fuck your step-sister?"

The party guests gasped and whispered. Casey felt tears stinging her eyes. Derek's body was tense, and he was shaking. She could feel his racing heartbeat under her fingertips. His eyes shot daggers at Truman, and his face grew red. Casey knew that the only thing stopping Derek from lunging at Truman was that he was holding on to her. She clung to him a little tighter, not wanting anything to come to physical blows.

Sam leaned in to Derek and quietly spoke. "Come on, Derek. You need to get Casey home." He put his hand on Derek's shoulder. Casey could feel Derek relax slightly. She anxiously looked up at him, wondering what he was going to do, and he looked down at her, considering his options.

Derek's eyes were dark; the fire in them slowly faded, and Casey saw something else there. She wasn't sure what she saw inside him; something…soft.

Derek nodded. "You're right, Sam."

Casey continued to hold on to Derek as he guided her down the stairs. Sam and Emily followed closely behind.

They were halfway down when Truman shouted. "I've got girls _lined up_! I don't need her!" He sounded like he was trying to convince himself.

Emily spun on her heel and stomped back up the stairs.

"First in line?" Truman laughed, pitifully.

Emily slapped Truman across the face, leaving a red stain on his cheek. The entire house went silent. The sound of the smack echoed through the room. Casey gawked, in absolute disbelief of the current scenario. None of this felt real.

"You're not going to hurt my best friend. Ever. Again." Emily jabbed her finger into Truman's chest. "If you even try, I will kick your ass." Emily was a lot shorter than Truman, but everyone could tell she was one-hundred percent serious. Truman gulped, and backed away from her with his head bowed in shame.

The crowd dispersed to let them pass on their way out the front door. The house was quiet, aside from party-goers whispering with one another about what they had witnessed.


	5. We Get That All the Time

**Chapter 5: We Get That All the Time**

* * *

The cab took forever. Nobody talked until it came. When it finally showed up, Emily sat up front while Derek and Sam helped the shocked, and barely conscious Casey into the back. The drive was quiet. Derek didn't mind silence, but he noticed that the air felt heavy, like there was a lot being left unsaid.

Derek rested his arm behind the seats and lay his head back. Casey sighed deeply next to him. He felt her head come down onto his chest. He was stunned for a moment. He looked over at Sam for help, and Sam shrugged. Derek let his arm wrap around Casey. Without thinking about it, he rubbed her back in slow circles. Casey sighed into him.

When the cab reached Sam's house, Sam pulled out some crumpled cash from his jeans and handed it to the driver.

"Bye Sam" Emily said, quietly. Sam gave a lazy salute in return.

Once the cab started moving again, Casey nuzzled deeper into Derek's chest. He lifted his arm from her, unsure of what to do. Casey settled and let out a light snore. Derek relaxed, gently resting his arm back around her.

Emily looked back at the two of them. "It's nice to see Casey relaxed again. She's had a rough night."

"When is Casey _ever_ relaxed?" Derek laughed, quietly.

"You're good with her." Emily decided, smiling sadly. Derek looked away, embarrassed. He had never been good at comforting people, and he wasn't sure if he wanted to be.

The cab driver cleared his throat. "Is your girlfriend doing okay back there?"

" _Casey_? Casey is _not_ my girlfriend!" Derek stated, defensively.

"Casey is his sister." Emily explained, "I'm hi—"

" _Step_ -sister" Derek corrected. Emily pressed her lips together in a line, and her eyes flickered down. She slid back into her seat and faced forward.

"Oh. Uh…right." Mumbled the driver. "My apologies." Derek caught the driver eyeing him questioningly from the rear-view mirror.

When they arrived home, Derek paid the driver the remainder of the cab-fare and Emily offered a generous tip.

"Come on, Case. We're going inside." Derek nudged her.

"Mmm" Casey groaned, still asleep. Derek rolled his eyes. Casey couldn't make things easy for him, even while unconscious. He stepped out of the cab and took the sleeping Casey into his arms. He found it easy enough to carry her. Derek and Emily watched the cab slowly peel away and drive down the street. Sleeping Casey wrapped her arms around his neck

"Do you need any help?" Emily asked, softly.

"Uh…no. I think I've got her." Derek said, somewhat dismissively.

"Right." Emily murmured. She walked closer to Derek and looked up at him. She hesitated, as though she were contemplating saying something. She shook her head. "I'll see you later."

"Yeah." Derek replied, as Emily was already walking down the sidewalk to her house, "See you…later…"

It was difficult to unlock the front door with Casey in his arms. It was also a challenge carrying her up the stairs. By the time he got Casey up all twelve steps, his muscles strained to hold her.

 _Just a little bit further_ , he told himself.

He placed Casey in her bed as gently as he could manage, trying not to wake her. Casey stirred, opening her eyes, just as he set her down. Derek pulled the blanket over her.

"Derek?" Casey whispered, confused.

"Spacey." Derek replied.

"Are you…helping me into bed?"

"Yeah." Derek mumbled "G'night Case." He turned to leave.

"Wait!" Casey called. "Derek?"

Derek spun around slowly. " _Yes_ , Spacey?"

"Will you stay here with me for a minute?"

Derek wasn't expecting that. He was used to being kicked out of Casey's room. He had never been encouraged to stay before.

"Uh…." Derek grabbed Casey's computer chair and wheeled it to her bed, sitting down. "Sure."

He could barely see Casey in the dark, but he could tell she was staring at him. He wasn't sure what she wanted from him.

"Is…" Derek ran his fingers through his hair, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah." Casey said, softly. "I think so." She sighed. "I know tonight was scary…and intense. I'm not really sure I've been able to process it all yet. But…" She trailed off.

Derek anxiously eyed Casey's silhouette.

"You really helped me tonight, Der."

He was taken aback by the sincerity in Casey's voice; his breath caught in his throat.

"So…thank you." She said.

"N—no problem!" Derek managed. He was uncomfortable with accepting her thanks. He didn't feel like he really did much. He was just _there_. He hadn't thought about any of this! What would Casey _think_ about what he said and did tonight? He didn't want to bring attention to any compassionate things he might have done. He didn't want anyone to start expecting good from him… _especially Casey_.

"Admit it, Derek Venturi. You care about me." Casey smiled through the dark.

"Yeah, _right_!" Derek laughed, without a hint of bitterness. "Just don't start expecting me to be nice to you or anything."

"I wont." Casey chimed, sweetly.

Derek stood and left Casey's room. He paused at her doorway. "Night Case." He said, without turning back. He closed the door behind him.

Derek slumped to his own room and threw himself on his bed, burying his face in his pillows. He groaned. He wasn't sure what he thought about everything that happened.

Derek drifted to sleep, hoping that nothing in his life had changed.


	6. Steamy

**Chapter 6: Steamy...  
**

* * *

Casey awakened to the sun shining in through her window. It was noon (and the first time Casey had slept-in for probably a year). She rubbed her eyes and threw a pillow over her face.

 _I don't want to be awake right now_ , Casey thought. She was usually a morning person, but the morning had already passed, and she wasn't looking forward to the rest of the day. She had initially planned on going to the mall with Truman, but there was no _way_ she was still doing _that_ _!_ Casey's plans for the summer were dismantled—Truman had been a large part of those plans. Now, Truman was the _last_ person she wanted to see. Casey sat up, out of bed, and walked over to her window, closing the drapes.

 _Maybe last night didn't happen_. Casey hoped. She looked at herself in her floor-length mirror. Wrinkled party clothes, smudged makeup on her puffy face, and a big frown. _Yep_ , Casey sighed, _it happened, alright_.

Casey glanced at her calendar, on the cork board, above her desk. She had labeled the night before as PARTY! with a bunch of cute stickers. The date seemed to mock her now. Next to her calendar were a few of her dance award ribbons, and next to those was a photo of herself and… _Truman_. Casey marched over to the board and ripped the photo off, sending a thumb-tack flying. The thumb-tack landed on Casey's foot. It didn't hurt much, but Casey let out a small scream of frustration, tearing the photo into little pieces and throwing Truman's dumb face into the waste-bin in a huff.

Before she could even begin to think about the night before—about Truman—Casey needed to shower. She needed to get the memory off her body before she tackled anything in her mind.

Casey ensured that the water was _extra_ -hot. She stepped in. Just what she needed. After cleaning her body, and washing her hair with her favorite vanilla shampoo, Casey let the hot water run over her back. She couldn't keep the memories completely out of her mind after-all.

 _Fuck Truman_. Casey thought, surprising herself. She wasn't usually one to curse, even in her own thoughts. _What a massive disappointment he turned out to be_ _!_

She used to have such high-hopes for Truman as her boyfriend. He really seemed to care about her at one point. Of course, they had a rocky history, but Casey felt they had developed a connection! Casey thought Truman was a good person. Or rather, she _used_ to think he was a good person.

 _How could I have been so wrong about someone?_

Then there was someone who Casey used to think of as a _bad_ person. Okay…maybe not a _bad_ person, but definitely an _annoying_ person.

 _Derek._

Casey was sure that Derek hated her, at least on some level; at the very least, he massively disliked her. There were times when Casey thought she might be breaking through to her step-brother. After all, she was a very likable person once you got to know her. But whenever that happened, Derek would say something to prevent any real connection.

Casey contemplated on how Derek acted at the party; how he stood up for her and protected her. Casey was reminded of another time Derek defended her from Truman at a party…when Truman kissed Vicki.

Casey had dismissed Derek's past kindnesses as rare phenomena. Derek would show a glimmer of compassion in his heart for her and then he would go right back to fighting with her _._

 _Just a fluke_.

But, last night seemed different to Casey. _Last night was really, really bad_ , Casey recalled. _Truman was trying to…_

She couldn't finish that thought.

Casey remembered what Truman shouted at her, but it seemed more like a distant roaring in her current recollection. She distinctly remembered _Derek_ holding on to her… _tightly_. Derek _never_ hugged Casey; he regularly treated her like she had cooties…or something. But once he held on to her, he never let go. He was the one thing that kept her from collapsing to the floor. Derek had even let her rest on him in the cab…he put his arm around her and comforted her. Derek helped Casey into bed…

Casey spat out a gasp and her bright blue eyes shot open.

 _I'm thinking about Derek while I'm in the shower_ _!_

Casey wasn't _just_ thinking about her step-brother while she was in the shower…she was thinking about him _holding_ her. Casey was glad that no one could read her thoughts… _especially Derek_.

Casey's thoughts screamed at her, so loud she worried they _might_ be heard by someone.

 _Stop thinking about Derek! This shower is supposed to be therapeutic!_

But there were two questions regarding Derek that still nagged Casey's mind:

 _1._ _Why was Derek upstairs during Truman's party in the first place?_

 _2._ _Was he up there looking for me?_

Perhaps it wasn't _just a fluke_ after all…


	7. The Stalker Book

**Chapter 7: The Stalker Book**

 **Author's note:** This chapter references events from a specific LWD episode: Season 2, Episode 1. "Date With Derek." To best enjoy reading this chapter, I highly recommend watching the episode. Particularly, the date scene (up until the end of the episode). This is not required to understand and enjoy this chapter, however I think it makes it more fun when you can see my inspiration.

Also, upon updating, I've realized that this chapter is set at a time earlier in the day than chapter 6 so there's a bit of time travel happening in the narrative. To fix this in the future, I may not be as strict in alternating POV's for each subsequent chapter

* * *

Derek woke up at five in the morning. He wanted to go back to sleep, but his body wouldn't let him.

 _I don't want to be awake right now_ , Derek thought. He was _not_ an early riser. He threw his face into his pillow. _Go to sleep, go to sleep_ , he told himself.

It felt like no time had passed when Derek woke again. He looked at his alarm clock.

 _7:00?!_

He groaned and flipped on to his back. There was no _way_ he was going to be able to get back to sleep.

 _What do people even do at seven in the morning?_ Derek wondered. _Who, besides Casey, would even be awake right now?_

Derek got out of bed and wandered into the hallway. The house seemed strangely quiet. Even Casey was still asleep.

"It's too fucking early." Derek said to himself, satisfied with being able to curse in the house with nobody awake to scold him. Derek figured Emily might be awake. Things had been weird between them the night before, but he figured talking to her could keep the boredom away. Emily responded back right away.

* * *

 **D_Vent** says: Hey

* * *

 **SwimmerGirl-Em-XO** says: Ur awake?

* * *

 **D_Vent** says: Sadly

* * *

 **SwimmerGirl-Em-XO** says: Im coming over

* * *

 _She's coming over?_ This couldn't be good.

Derek was in the middle of brushing his teeth when he heard a knock at the front door; he didn't even have time to change his shirt. Derek thundered down the stairs. He swung the door open and leaned against the frame

"Hey Em," Derek greeted sweetly. Emily stared back at him, her expression unreadable.

"Hello Derek" Emily said, formally, "Where's Casey?".

"Asleep," Derek shrugged.

"We need to talk."

 _Ugh_. Derek hated clichés. _This will be fun…_

Emily slid past Derek into the house. She strode purposefully to the couch, sitting down and motioning for him to join her.

" _What_ would you like to talk about?" Derek asked with a cheeky sarcasm, as though he didn't know what kind of conversation was coming. He sighed, falling into the couch next to Emily.

Emily angled herself toward Derek. She opened her mouth to speak but hesitated. She licked her lips lightly. Derek prepared himself for the long road of conversation ahead.

"I think we should break up." She stated, quickly.

 _Just like that?_ He expected there to be a lengthy conversation about f-f-feelings. But, Emily just wanted to…break up? _Okay, so it's mutual_. At least he wouldn't have to worry about finding a way to break up with Emily that wouldn't prompt Casey to send him on a massive guilt-trip.

"Wha—why?" He instantly regretted asking.

"Well…" Emily started, "I've been thinking about it a lot and, well…here." She reached into her satchel bag and pulled out a binder, placing it on the coffee table with a _thud_. "Do you remember this?"

"Yeah." Derek laughed, lightly "Your _stalker_ book?" Derek and Emily had joked about it before. The stalker book was where Emily kept all of her 'observations' on the guys at school (primarily Derek); relationship histories, personality profiles, compatibility, etcetera. He found it to be creepy, yet somehow flattering.

"Exactly!" Emily opened the book to the biggest tab, labeled ~DEREK~

"I hadn't even _looked_ at my research in a such a long time. I almost forgot about it!" Emily ran her fingers over the page, excitedly. "I felt like things didn't feel _right_ between us, and I didn't know what to think, so I pulled this binder out. I hoped it could help me make sense of some things…and it _did_ _!_ " Emily was enthusiastic, it made her sound like a detective who found the last missing piece of a mystery.

Derek looked at the number of pages under his tab. Maybe it _would_ be a lengthy conversation, after all. Emily's enthusiasm was a little unsettling. Derek wasn't sure where the conversation was headed. He waited for Emily to continue.

"I found this entry." Emily said, flipping a few pages further into the binder, "It's about our first date."

"Wouldn't that be prom?" Derek was confused. So far, this seemed like a weird break up.

"No. _Technically_ , we went out before that. But, I _guess_ it wasn't a _real_ date." Emily sighed.

Derek tried to remember…

Emily pointed to the page. "You went out on a date with me because you knew it would piss off Casey if you dated her best friend?" She prompted.

"Oh…right." Derek mumbled, embarrassed. He remembered how he hurt Emily's feelings when he faked interest in her back then.

 _Why is she bringing this up? Does it still bother her? Is that why she wants to break up?_ Derek couldn't think of why Emily was acting this way, or what relevance their fake-date had. He kept waiting for the bomb to drop.

To cut some of the tension he felt, Derek joked, "I remember Casey spying on us the whole time wearing a blonde wig and sunglasses."

Emily rolled her eyes and continued. "At the end of the night…I kissed you." She looked down, sheepishly. "And well, I thought you might have _enjoyed_ kissing me. I thought that there was a spark there. So…I gave us a high compatibility score." Emily pointed to the score on the page: HOT!

"So, what's the problem then?" Derek could feel the suspense brewing inside him. He desperately wanted Emily to get to the point, his mask of indifference was starting to slip.

"After taking last night into consideration, I had to re-analyze our compatibility. I'm sorry to say, Derek, but…" Emily flipped to the last page in the Derek section. "We're _incompatible._ "

Emily made it sound so _robotic_ and analytical. Derek didn't understand.

"I'm compatible with everyone." Derek denied. "What makes us _so_ incompatible?" Derek thought about the night before. He had been distant from Emil. Perhaps she had picked up on it.

"It was the way you supported Casey last night…how you took care of her." Emily said, quietly.

 _What does Casey have to do with this?_

"I don't know what you're trying to tell me" Derek said, defensively. "Why would you be upset that I helped Casey? She's _your_ best friend. Besides, I _had_ to help Casey. She's my _step_ -sister. I was obligated to get her home to the family in one piece."

Emily sighed, slightly frustrated. "No. It's not like that." She put her hands in her lap and looked down, slowly twiddling her thumbs. "Casey is my _best friend_. I am _really_ glad you were there for her, she needed you."

Derek crossed his arms. He didn't want to hear this. He wished that no one knew that he ever did anything nice for Casey.

Emily continued "It was _how_ you helped Casey…how you looked after her. I could see how much you care for her. I saw a different side of you" Emily's eyes started to water, but she maintained her composure. "It just made me realize that you would never care for me like that. You would never have feelings for me. At least…not in the way I wanted you too." Emily's glistening eyes met Derek's.

His heart nearly stopped. Emily couldn't _possibly_ be implying…

"What are you saying?" Derek choked out a defensive laugh "Y—you think I have feelings for Casey? I do _not_ have _feelings_ for—"

"What I'm _saying_ is…" Emily cut him off, "That you don't have feelings for _me_."

 _Oh_. Derek's gaze fell to the floor. _There it is_.

"Emily…" Derek breathed. He _did_ like Emily, just not in that way.

"It's okay Derek" Emily offered, calmly. "Really." Emily placed her hand on Derek's arm comfortingly. "I had a crush on you for such a long time, and I always wondered what it would be like to date _The_ Derek Venturi. But honestly…it wasn't really what I expected it to be." She smiled, apologetically.

"Well…you've exceeded my expectations." Derek smiled kindly. Emily blushed. He was surprised at how smoothly this _break up_ was going—he would have expected more crying and/or yelling. As far as break ups were concerned, this one seemed pretty good—if not incredibly strange.

Derek laughed "I'm surprised, honestly. I would have never expected someone to be _this_ excited about _not_ dating me." He grinned. Emily giggled and pushed Derek's shoulder, playfully.

"There's a first time for everything." She stated, simply. "We gave it a shot and it didn't work out. 'Demily' was just not meant to be!" Emily held her hand to her heart, in an exaggerated gesture. She laughed "It's okay though, because I _know_ there are better love stories out there for _both_ of us, Derek."

Emily reached over and gave Derek a warm hug. It was strange—Derek felt closer to Emily than ever before. She sniffled softly into his shoulder.

She pulled away from the hug and wiped a tear from her eye. "I guess it's time to conclude the Derek section of my binder."

Derek marveled over how Emily could be so cool about their relationship ending, she seemed… _optimistic_.

He noticed a divider in Emily's binder labeled with a drawing of a flower.

"What's in this part of the binder?" He asked.

Emily quickly snapped the book shut, nearly onto Derek's fingers. Her eyes went wide.

"Just a new project I've been working on." Emily hinted. "Top secret." She winked, shoving the binder into her bag.

Whatever weird thing Emily was up to, Derek wanted nothing to do with it.

"I should go home before Casey wakes up." Emily said, throwing her messenger bag over her shoulder.

"You don't want to see Casey?"

"I don't know if she wants to see _me_ ," Emily stated. "She might not want to talk about last night. I'm going to leave it up to her if she wants me here. I'm just a house away if she needs me."

Derek followed Emily to the door. "So…I'll see you later then?" He asked, "Friend?"

Emily smiled. "Yeah! See you later… _friend_."

Derek thought some clichés weren't quite so bad.

He watched Emily as she walked down the worn dirt path that connected their houses from when they were kids. Suddenly, she turned around.

"Miss me already?" Derek joked.

"There's _one_ more thing I need to say…" Emily smirked "There's someone out there for you, Derek. Someone who you're _destined_ to be with. I just _know_ it! You'll figure it out." She winked.

Emily turned around and walked home, confidently. Derek laughed, shaking his head. He didn't believe in destiny, but he appreciated the sentiment. He figured that he and Emily could be good friends…if she weren't Casey's _best_ friend. Derek went inside and closed the door, smiling to himself.

Derek knew his comfort would be short lived. No matter how smoothly the break-up went, Derek knew he'd never hear the end of it from Casey.


	8. Some Things Never Change

**Chapter 8: Some Things Never Change**

 **Author's Note:** In my earlier chapters, I have been alternating between Derek and Casey's POV. I don't want to feel tied-down by that structure anymore, so I'm not going to be as strict with it. That way the story can be at its best.

* * *

"Look who's finally awake!" Nora chimed, as Casey roamed into the kitchen. "I can't believe you slept in! You must have had a fun night."

Casey strained a weak smile. "Hey mom." She said, sitting down at the kitchen counter.

"How was the party?" Nora inquired eagerly.

Casey huffed. "Pretty terrible actually."

"Let me guess…" Nora raised an eyebrow knowingly, "It was _Derek's_ fault, wasn't it?"

 _Not this time, surprisingly_. Casey folded her arms on the kitchen counter and rested her chin down. She knew _who's_ fault it was, but she didn't want to think about him.

"It was a break up's fault," Casey grumbled. Technically, the words 'break up' hadn't been used, but it was all the same to Casey.

Nora nodded, perceptively. "Derek and Emily?" She asked, expecting the obvious answer.

"Nope." Casey sighed dejectedly.

Nora's eyes widened with understanding. "You and Truman…broke up?" She took a step closer to the counter, dedicating her full attention to Casey.

Casey didn't want to get into it, she just wanted to distance herself from it.

Taking Casey's silence as a yes, Nora frowned, sympathetically. "What happened?" She coaxed.

"Sorry mom, but I don't want to talk about it right now. I don't even want to _think_ about it." Casey's voice started to break. "I don't want to think about _him_."

A sob threatened to come out, but Casey held it in. She hadn't cried yet, and she didn't want to let it all out at the kitchen counter. Besides, she didn't want to have to delve into everything with her mom, who would certainly want to hear every detail. Casey wouldn't even know where to start! She tried to keep the flood gates closed, her eyes stinging defiantly. It was embarrassing and hurtful. The night before had been so horrible that Casey couldn't say the words out loud.

 _He was trying to make me—_

 _He called me a—_

She couldn't even bring herself to think about it. Her eyes glistened with tears that she refused to let fall.

Casey's stifled pain was immediately evident to Nora. "Oh no! Casey, sweetheart…what did Truman _do_?" Nora could clearly see that her daughter was hurting. She circled the kitchen counter, placing a comforting hand on Casey's back.

Small tears fell from Casey's eyes, sliding down her face; she couldn't keep them _all_ in. "I really don't want to _re-live_ last night…not right now mom. I just got up, okay? Tru—" Casey didn't even want to say his name. She wiped her tears. "Truman's a _jerk_ , that's all that matters."

"Okay." Nora pressed her lips together into a line, rubbing Casey's back and giving her a kiss on her head. "I'm here when you're ready to talk. I'll always be here; you know that. And Truman _is_ a jerk if he makes you feel this way." She rubbed Casey's shoulders affectionately. "He's hurt you before, I don't think you should give that boy any more chances."

"Believe me." Casey promised, "I _won't_."

Nora reached over the counter to a box of granola bars. She slid it to Casey. "You should eat something."

Casey grabbed a bar and smiled sadly up at Nora. "Thanks mom."

Nora wrapped her arm around Casey's shoulders, giving her a half-hug and rubbing her arm, affectionately. Casey leaned into it gratefully.

Their short embrace was interrupted.

" _Ugh_ , what's with all the hugging?" Derek sauntered into the kitchen. "People _eat_ in here, you know."

Casey gave Derek a subtle glare, as she opened her granola bar. "Very _funny,_ Derek."

Nora sighed and let go of Casey, giving her another quick peck on the forehead. Derek rolled his eyes.

"Well, I've got to get going." Nora said. "I have an important client meeting." She grabbed her purse from the counter. "You two…" Nora eyed them both, "Be nice."

Casey watched Derek from behind as he strode to the fridge. She noticed he was wearing the same shirt as the night before. At the sight of Derek's shirt, Casey's thoughts were momentarily transported back to the memory of sitting in the cab together. Derek hadn't pushed her away when she leaned into his chest. He even held her…soothed her. If Derek hated hugging so much, why was he so good at comforting her?

Derek opened the fridge. Casey noticed the strong build of his back as he held open the door. It reminded her of how he carried her to bed. Casey had never realized Derek was so _muscular_ …

He pulled the jug of milk from the fridge. His body angled toward Casey as he lifted the whole thing to take a drink. This action didn't disgust Casey anymore. She was used to it. It was just something Derek _did_. He had _better_ ways of getting under her skin now.

Casey peered at Derek's chest and imagined how her head rested there so comfortably and how pleasantly Derek smelled as she fell asleep on him…in the same shirt he was wearing now…

Derek noticed Casey staring at him. He lowered the milk jug and screwed the cap back on. "You want to take a picture, Case?" He quipped, putting the milk back in the fridge.

Casey blushed. She was abruptly pulled from the filter of her memories…she wasn't in the _cab_ with Derek, she was at _home_ with Derek. He might as well be two different people. He was already _right_ back to teasing her.

 _Of course_ , Casey thought, _some things never change_.

"Yeah _right_ , Derek!" Casey jeered, "Like I would _want_ a picture of you spreading your germs to everyone in this house!"

"Not everyone." Derek claimed. "Lizzie drinks _almond_ milk now." He shuddered jokingly.

"Well maybe _I_ don't want your germs." Casey argued. "I don't want anything that has touched _your mouth_ to come anywhere near mine!"

Derek quickly slid toward Casey, snatching her granola bar from across the kitchen counter.

"Der-ek!" Casey yelled, as he took a large bite. She scoffed. He strode around the counter, past her into the living room. She turned in her chair to face him. "That's _mine_." She barked.

"Actually…" Derek said, turning around, " _Was_ yours." He took a dramatic bite from the granola bar as though it were the most delicious thing on the planet. His eyes rolled up into his head.

"Ugh!"

Derek hopped over the couch, lying down casually. He picked up the remote and flicked to a show highlighting the 15 greatest hockey fights of all time. He devoured the last of Casey's granola bar.

Casey wasn't hungry anymore, she was too mad at Derek for being hot-and-cold with her. She was tired of Derek showing a sliver of compassion for her, only to go right back to hating her. She was tired of Derek trying to put her down at every turn—trying to one-up her.

With how terrible she was feeling…Casey needed a win.


	9. In Control

**Chapter 9: The Controller  
**

* * *

"Ohhhhhh! Good one!" Derek yelled at the TV, which showcased a gory fist-fight. He lifted the remote to turn up the volume.

Suddenly, Derek felt his arm, and the remote yanked above him.

"What th—" Derek looked up at Casey, who was behind the couch, trying to pry the remote out of his tight grasp. It was obviously not the _first_ time this happened, but _this_ time, Derek hadn't seen it coming. He felt the remote slipping.

Derek's free hand clutched Casey's forearm and he was able to tighten his grip on the remote. He used his position to his advantage, pulling backwards, causing Casey to reach over the couch. Derek thought he had Casey beat…she was leaning over the couch _so_ far, that she would _have_ to let go if he kept pulling. Instead, Casey climbed over the couch, on top of him _._

 _She sure is determined_. They both held on to the remote in a closely matched tug-of-war.

Derek abruptly realized that Casey was straddling his lap. This was _not_ their _usual_ wrestling position. Casey pulled back, unknowingly grinding her hips into Derek. He bit his tongue.

 _This needs to end…NOW!_

Derek pulled as hard as he could, and Casey shot forward. Her grip was still firm on the remote. Her hair cascaded over Derek's face, and the delicate smell of her vanilla shampoo engulfed his senses.

His stunned state gave Casey her chance to _win_. She pulled the remote out of Derek's loosening fingers and stood up from him.

"HA!" She laughed, triumphantly, holding the remote into the air like a trophy.

Eyeing Casey with incredulous amusement, Derek slowly stood up from the couch. He took a step towards her and she clutched the remote closely to her chest. The corners of her lips curled up in a bragging smile. Derek saw it as a _challenge_.

"So, what was _that_ for?" Derek laughed mockingly, "Stealing your… _granola bar_?" He pouted.

"As a matter of fact, _yes_! You steal something of mine, and I…" Casey waved the remote, teasingly, "…Steal something of yours."

The spark of excitement in Casey's eyes confirmed she was _just_ as competitive as Derek. It seemed that she _wanted_ to fight with him.

 _Fine by me_ , Derek thought. He had been worried that Casey wanted to talk about the night before, but it seemed that things were comfortably back to normal. _Fighting is much better than talking._

"I see…" Derek said, walking closer to her, causing her to hide the remote behind her back. "You're asking for a _war_ McDonald…"

Casey's eyes bore into his unwaveringly.

Derek smirked, "I recommend you surrender."

Casey was not backing down. "And _why_ would I do _that_?" She closed the distance between them.

"Because we _both_ know it's a war you'll _lose_."

Casey smirked, raising her eyebrows at Derek. "You know I _love_ it when you underestimate me." She lifted the remote from behind her back and flipped the channel, without breaking eye contact with him. "Keep doing it."

Derek nodded, slowly. "War it is…"

He turned to leave. He needed to orchestrate his retaliation. But first, he needed a cold shower. Luckily for him, somebody already used up all the hot water.


	10. Distractions

**Chapter 10: Distractions**

* * *

Casey sprawled on the couch victoriously, flipping through the TV channels. Unfortunately, her high from defeating Derek was very short-lived. There was nothing on TV that could catch her attention, and her mind kept wandering to Truman.

She felt conflicted. Her feelings for Truman had been real, and they still lingered. Casey never told Truman…but she had been falling in love with him. She trusted him. But, Truman showed his true colors, and Casey hated the Truman she saw at the party. He wasn't who she thought he was.

Casey had feelings for a person who didn't exist. Her eyes stung with tears.

 _No,_ Casey thought, _I need a distraction_. As if it were on cue, Casey's phone vibrated. She pulled it out.

 _47 unread texts?!_ Casey was _not_ that popular! She opened a few. Most were from numbers she didn't recognize. She also had texts from people she knew from school.

* * *

?: Are you ok Casey? Trumans a pig.

* * *

?: Damn girl shit got real last night FUCK THAT GUY !

* * *

?: OMG Truman is the worst he won't be dating ANYONE anymore! Everyone hates him and he got what he deserved

* * *

?: lmfao what did you do to t-man? crazy party lol whole skool is talking about it

* * *

?: Ur friend is a BADASS! can u send me her number? also hope ur doin ok…

* * *

?: U single now? Let me show u how a real man treats a lady ;)

* * *

Casey scoffed, putting her phone down. This was all too much to deal with right now. She needed to focus on the war she had just initiated with Derek.

Derek would retaliate…and _soon_. Casey knew that he would steal something from her, and she would steal something from him, and the cycle would continue to escalate from there. But, this was a war Casey knew she could _win_.

Derek _constantly_ stole from Casey—she was used to it. But _Derek_ was incredibly protective of his things. The thought of getting a rise out of him made Casey giddy with excitement—she was ready to turn the tables.

She already had a few ideas in mind, but she needed back-up. She went up to her room to call Emily.

"Hey Casey!" Emily said, answering on the first ring.

"Hey Em." Casey started pacing, "I have a favor to ask you…"

"Of _course!_ Anything."

"Well, I know you and Derek are together, but does that mean you would be _totally_ opposed to helping me _prank_ him?" Casey bit her lip in anticipation. She really needed Emily's help for her plans to work. She was worried Emily would refuse to get in the middle of a dispute between her best friend and her boyfriend.

"Wait…" Emily chuckled, "The reason you're calling me is because you want me to help you _scheme_ against _Derek_? _Really_?"

"Well…yeah?"

" _Interesting_ …" Emily sounded suspicious. "I'm on my way!" She announced.

Casey breathed a sigh of relief "Thanks Em, you're the _best_ _!"_

"Oh…there is _one_ thing though." Emily warned.

Casey stopped pacing "…What is it, Em?"

After a moment of silence, Emily sighed. "Derek and I broke up this morning."

Casey's jaw dropped. " _WHAT?!_ "

"Bye Case! See you soon!" Emily rushed, dodging Casey's freak-out.

Casey _knew_ it wouldn't last! She _knew_ it was only a matter of time before Derek would hurt Emily. This was _unacceptable_. They hadn't even been going out for a month!

"Der-ek!" Casey shrieked, stomping out of her room. She banged on Derek's bedroom door. "Come out Derek! I need to talk to you, right _now_!"

The bathroom door opened down the hall and Casey stomped over as Derek came out. When she reached him, she noticed that his hair was wet. She looked down and noticed that Derek was wearing nothing but a towel around his waist, with another towel draped over his shoulders. She wasn't expecting to see Derek in such little clothing. Her mouth fell open in shock.

The words Casey had been planning on screaming at Derek were lost for a moment.

"Seriously, Case…" Derek laughed. He took the towel from his shoulders and tousled it through his hair. Casey felt drops of cold water hit her as Derek shook the towel through his dripping locks. "You want a camera or something?"

Casey's face went beet red, and she found her voice again. "You _dumped_ Emily!" She accused.

"Uh…" Derek laughed, defensively, "Nope." He brushed past her.

Casey went after him. "Emily said you broke up!"

Derek shrugged, entering his room. Casey followed him inside.

"What did you _do,_ Derek?" She demanded.

Derek sighed, turning around. He was annoyed. "What makes you think I _did_ anything?"

Casey crossed her arms. "Because you're _you_."

Derek rolled his eyes. "You weren't exactly _thrilled_ about me dating your best friend in the first place. Aren't you glad I'm _not_ anymore?"

"It was already weird enough when you were her boyfriend!" Casey exclaimed. "It's going to be even _weirder_ now that you're her _ex_ -boyfriend!"

Derek groaned. "There's _zero_ weirdness between me and Emily." He narrowed his eyes. "Trust me."

"As _if_ I would trust _you,_ Derek." Casey scoffed.

"Then trust Emily." Derek challenged. "Now, if you don't mind…" He threw his hair-drying towel across the room onto a pile of clothes, leaving only the towel around his waist. "I'm going to get dressed. I'm sure you'd love to stick around to _watch_ , but I'm going to have to insist that you _leave_."

Casey spun on her heel, casting Derek one last dirty-look as she left. She went down the stairs just as Emily was knocking at the front door. She welcomed Emily inside.

Emily was excited. "So, what's the plan?" She asked, quietly.

"Well, first…you are going to tell me everything that happened this morning between you and Derek." Casey insisted, "And then, when Derek goes out for band practice..." She looked over her shoulder to make sure Derek wasn't listening in. "How would you feel about a little _heavy lifting_?"

Casey grinned mischievously. _This is going to be good_.


	11. Scheming Part 1

**Chapter 11: Scheming Part 1**

* * *

Casey and Emily sat together on Casey's bed. Casey was eager to hear about the break-up. She _knew_ the relationship would never last. Emily didn't seem to be too heartbroken about it though. In fact, Casey noticed Emily seemed rather excited to prank Derek. She wondered if perhaps Derek did something to Emily, and she wanted revenge. Although, _revenge_ wasn't very Emily-like.

"So…" Casey nodded at Emily, "Spill."

"I don't know what you want me to say." Emily shrugged, "We broke up."

"Yeah…" Casey said, "But _why_?"

"Honestly, we just weren't right for each other. It was…" Emily hesitated, " _Mutual_. Derek didn't want to be with me and I didn't want to be with Derek."

Casey was confused. "But you've wanted to be with Derek for like… _forever_ _!_ " She argued. Emily shrugged again. "What did Derek do?" Casey pried.

Emily sighed. "Really Casey, he didn't do anything! It just...wasn't meant to be." She said reassuringly.

Casey was doubtful. " _Really_?"

" _Really_. He just never really liked me that much. I can tell." Emily shook her head.

 _Ugh, Derek_ , Casey thought. Ever since she found out about Emily and Derek being together, she was skeptical of Derek's feelings for Emily—he had faked them once before.

"Derek's a jerk, Em. You deserve so much better."

Emily shook her head. "No. Derek's a…good guy." Casey rolled her eyes. "But I _do_ deserve someone who _really_ likes me. Someone who could possibly love me someday."

This break up confirmed Casey's suspicions about Derek; he didn't _actually_ care about her…or Emily…or _anyone_! Any compassion he showed must have been accidental. Or perhaps he _did_ care, but only on rare occasions. Emily just _wanted_ to think Derek was secretly a nice guy. Casey had fallen for that many times before.

She knew she might be judging Derek too harshly, but she was hurt. It was easier to think of Derek as some jerk who didn't care about anybody but himself. The alternative was that Derek simply chose not to care about her most of the time. Casey didn't want that to be true. Whether she liked it or not, Derek was a big influence in life, and she cared about him. She wished she could be more like Derek in that regard; she wished she could decide not to care.

Casey rubbed Emily's arm comfortingly. "Of _course,_ you deserve that Em! Don't worry, you'll find the right guy…a guy who _really_ shows that he cares about you. And, you'll finally be able to get over Derek, who doesn't care about anybody but himself."

"I think I'm already over Derek." Emily stated, quickly.

"What?" Casey asked, surprised. "Is there someone else?" She shifted excitedly, "Who is it?"

Emily laughed. "It's not like that." She said. "It's just…I'm not in high school anymore. I want different things now. I'm not pining over Derek like I used to. We left things on pretty good terms. This is…for the best, Casey. Derek and I are just _not_ right for each other."

"I—" Casey wasn't sure what to say.

 _Derek was telling the truth about the break up_.

Casey admired Emily's maturity and her dedication to caring for herself. "I'm proud of you, Em." She smiled. "You're truly amazing." She wrapped her arms around Emily in a tight hug.

"So, what did you mean by _heavy lifting_?" Emily changed the subject in a hushed voice, to protect against any potential espionage.

Casey grinned. She was eager to enact her plan. She knew it would _definitely_ get a rise out of Derek. Her and Derek had fought for dominance in the household for so long—Casey knew _just_ how to beat him.

"Well, in this war, I need to steal something that belongs to Derek. So, I got to thinking…" Casey looked intensely at Emily, "Derek has territory in this house, and in a war, that's crucial. If I want to win, I have to take some of that territory for myself."

Emily nodded slowly, fully engrossed in the conversation.

"What are some things that Derek has access to, that are denied to the rest of the house? What are the resources he controls in this _war_?" Casey knew that she had to treat this tactically…like a real war. Derek always seemed to be able to get one step ahead of her, so she always had to think _five_ steps ahead. Casey's thoughts momentarily drifted to how cute she would look in military captain's hat.

"Um…" Emily pondered "I don't know…his bedroom?" She shrugged, urging Casey to continue with her explanation.

"Yes. But I can't exactly _steal_ his _bedroom_. I thought about taking the Prince, but I pretty much own a third of it, so it isn't _really_ stealing. He would probably be mad I took it without asking…but—" Casey started to ramble.

"Casey!" Emily interrupted. "What are you stealing?!" She clapped her hands over her mouth, worried she had been too loud.

Casey leaned in closely and stated quietly and definitively, " _We_ are stealing his _throne._ "

* * *

Derek lounged in bed with his hands behind his head, staring up at the ceiling. He let out a puff of air and ran his hands over his face. He groaned.

 _What the hell is happening?_

In part…Derek was thrilled to have started a war with Casey. He _always_ won, and it was incredibly amusing to fight with Casey. At times, Casey could even be a worthy rival (which was a relatively new thing for Derek).

What Derek wanted, Derek got…until Casey came in to his life. And somehow, Derek liked it better with Casey around. Normally, Derek would challenge someone to get what he wanted, and they would back down. Or, he would outsmart them and get his way anyway. But Casey fought back… _hard_. She wanted things _her_ way just as much as he wanted things _his_ way.

Derek would never admit it to Casey, but their fights challenged him, in a _good_ way. A war with Casey was _exactly_ what Derek needed right now. It also came with the bonus of not having to talk to Casey about the events of the party. He didn't want Casey to know that he was secretly a decent person who maybe—quite possibly— _cared_. If she knew that, she would start to expect good from him regularly. War was easier.

But along with his usual excitement, Derek felt a nagging worry. Wrestling for the remote with Casey might have 'excited' him a little _too_ much. Derek wanted to dismiss his reaction as 'biological', but he couldn't stop thinking about it. The moment ran through his mind and he couldn't shake it.

He tried to reassure himself that the reason he couldn't stop thinking about Casey's hips on him was because he was weirded out by having a perfectly _normal_ physical response to his _step_ -sister. It's not like he was _attracted_ to Casey or anything. He was just a regular, warm-blooded male.

Derek sighed, frustrated. He had thought about Casey the whole time he was showering, and then he ran into her afterward. He practically _flirted_ with her! Derek grabbed one of his pillows and shoved it over his face, groaning loudly into it. Part of him wanted to avoid Casey and call the whole war off. He didn't want to accidentally flirt with her again…

 _I'm in so much trouble_. Derek sighed. _Keep_ _it together Derek! You need to get Casey off your mind! You don't want a repeat of what happened on the couch…_

Derek worried for a moment that perhaps he _did_ want a repeat…

He needed a distraction from his distressing thoughts. Aka, focusing 100% of his energy into pranking Casey; winning the war.

 _What should I do?_ Derek wondered. His mind was fuzzy. It was hard to make plans while trying to avoid thinking about certain things…or certain _people_.

Derek heard Emily and Casey's muffled voices. He knew they were either talking about the party, the break up, or the war. The pair discussing any one of those topics was unsettling to Derek. He didn't want to think about what they were talking about. He needed a plan. Derek knew he had to strike quickly if he wanted to get the upper hand in the war.

As much as he hated to admit it, Derek needed backup. He needed to recruit Edwin.


	12. Scheming Part 2

**Chapter 12: Scheming: Part Two**

* * *

"Oh my god!" Emily whispered, her smile wide open in disbelief, "You're going to steal Derek's _chair_? He's gonna flip!"

Casey beamed, clasping her hands together and holding them up to her chest. "I know!" She gushed. She imagined Derek's startled face upon realizing his favorite chair was missing from the living room.

Emily's expression abruptly fell into a serious stare. "Are you _sure_ you know what you're doing?"

Casey was sure. She had always been the main target of Derek's pranks. She was frustrated by how Derek could affect her so much. He was always able to get a rise out of her, especially now that she had seen a glimpse of a kind, compassionate Derek…only for him to go right back to being annoying and mean. Casey wanted to give Derek a taste of his own medicine by planning the perfect prank. She needed to get back at him in any way she could.

"Oh please, Em." Casey rolled her eyes, "This is the perfect plan. There's absolutely nothing Derek could do to top it!" There was no material possession of Casey's that she loved more than Derek loved his recliner—this was a sure-fire way to ensure victory for Casey.

"I don't know…" Emily shrugged "I just mean…this is a pretty bold move! I didn't think you would strike first," Emily explained, "And in such a _big_ way!"

"Technically" Casey defended, " _Derek_ was the one who started this war when _he_ took my granola bar."

"All _this_ over a granola bar?" Emily laughed in disbelief. "And now you're at _war_? Maybe you're being too hasty." She said nervously, shaking her head.

"Derek deserves it." Casey said definitively. "But you _do_ have a point…"

Emily seemed surprised Casey would listen to her. "I do?" She asked hopefully.

"Derek is _obviously_ planning his next move." Casey considered, "Maybe we shouldn't strike right away. _Maybe_ we let _Derek_ strike first." She grinned mischievously.

Emily eyed Casey suspiciously. "Where are you going with this?"

"It sure would feel good to _thwart_ him, don't you think?" Casey grinned with pride. If she could catch Derek in the act of pranking her, then her subsequent prank on _him_ would be _that_ much sweeter. "Want to take a little trip?" Casey winked.

* * *

Derek peered down the stairs into the living room. Edwin was taking advantage of the absence of his older sibling, who would regularly dominate the living room. He was sitting in Derek's recliner playing Babe Raider. Derek was annoyed to notice that Edwin was beating his high-score. Derek cleared his throat and Edwin's attention snapped to him.

"Upstairs." Derek ordered. He returned to his room and sat at his desk, relaxing heavily into the desk chair. Edwin quickly bumbled into Derek's room and closed the door.

"Come on, bro. I was on a roll!" Edwin sighed.

Derek stared Edwin down, pressing his finger-tips together in a steepled gesture. He casually turned back and forth in the office chair.

Edwin gulped. "So…what can I do for you?"

Derek would never admit to Edwin that he needed _help_. He couldn't think of a single way to prank Casey, and any time he thought about her, his mind would wander to their… _moment_ on the couch. He had to get Edwin's help, without implying that he _needed_ help.

"It's time." Derek stated purposefully, "Its time for you to prove yourself to me Edwin." Derek stood up and sauntered over to his little brother. "You're going to high-school in the fall and you'll be acting as my _legacy_." Derek held his hand to his heart, sarcastically. "I need to make sure you're up to the challenge of filling my shoes while I'm at Queen's." He poked Edwin in the shoulder, causing him to fall back a little. Derek knew Edwin would _never_ be able to replace him…but he really needed the help. Besides, the kid _did_ show _some_ promise. Derek knew this was the moment Edwin had been waiting for his whole life.

Edwin's face perked into a joyous grin "Oh, I can do it! I won't let you down, D!"

"Oh, I _know_ you wont." Derek threatened.

"So, what do I need to do to prove to you that I am Prank King material?" Edwin raised an eyebrow.

"First of all?" Derek started, "Don't—Call yourself Prank King. And second, you need to prank _Casey_."

"Casey?' Edwin laughed. "That's kid's stuff!"

"Casey and I…" Derek started pacing "Are at _war_."

Edwin shuffled uncomfortably. "Oh?" He asked. It wasn't exactly _fun_ for the rest of the family when Derek and Casey had one of their 'things'.

"I'm giving _you_ the opportunity to decide our first move."

Edwin's eyes widened at Derek's use of 'our'. "So, what are we looking at here? Humiliation? Sabotage? Some good old-fashioned hi-jinks?" Edwin mused, waving his arms excitedly.

"We have to steal something of Casey's, and _Casey_ is going to _try_ to steal something from _me_." Derek explained. "You will also act as a guard to protect me from any attacks."

Edwin scratched his head. "Uh…stealing? Are you sure that's the only option? You might be at a disadvantage here, Derek."

Derek knew exactly what Edwin meant. Over the years, there wasn't much left of Casey's that Derek hadn't stolen at one point or another. If he were a gambling man… _and he was_ , Casey would have the best odds at winning this war. But that was only on paper. Derek knew he could get under Casey's skin. If he could rattle her, he could turn the war in his favor. Derek would still bet on himself to win—he was an expert at fighting with Casey.

 _Fighting with Casey_ …Derek had to shake the image of the remote-fight out of his head again.

"I know." He said, "Which is why _you_ are going to have to come up with an awesome plan." Derek approached Edwin and looked at him seriously. "This isn't _kid's stuff_. This is _serious_ tactical warfare. We need to shake Casey's confidence if we want to win. _That's_ our first move." Derek shoved Edwin's shoulder, causing him sit on the bed. "So… _Start. Planning_."

Edwin paused. His face lit up as though a light-bulb turned on above his head. "We can steal her diary!"

"Too predictable." Derek sighed. "And overdone. Not to mention, lame." Derek fell back into his office chair. What else could there be to steal? He didn't want to admit that he might have made an unwise bet.

Edwin's face fell, but immediately perked back up. "I know!" Edwin stroked his chin, knowingly. "What is the one thing Casey hasn't been able to stop talking about since graduation?"

"Casey and Truman broke up." Derek stated harshly.

"Oh. Uh…no, no. Not Truman. What else?" Edwin prompted.

Derek rolled his eyes. "Just spit it out, Ed."

" _University_." Edwin stated, waving his hands through the air for emphasis.

 _Hmm_. Edwin did have a point. Casey was very focused on University starting in the fall. He wasn't sure what Edwin was suggesting they _steal_ though. "University…" Derek said thoughtfully.

"Exactly!" Edwin expressed eagerly, "Every night, Casey sits at her desk and plans for University. I've seen her notes. They're detailed. She would _definitely_ be _shaken up_ if they ended up missing." Edwin winked.

Derek's mouth morphed into a grin. Casey would absolutely go nuts if her University plans went missing. Casey likely had her plans memorized but the lack of control would drive her wild.

"That could work!" Derek breathed excitedly, jumping out of the chair. "Wait for an opportunity and do it!"

He ushered Edwin out of his room and Edwin ran downstairs. Derek tried to listen for Emily and Casey from his doorway, but they seemed to be completely silent. The girls suddenly came out of Casey's room. Casey had sunglasses on, and her purse was slung over her shoulder. She looked like she was on her way out of the house…which was impossible. There was no _way_ Casey would give him such an easy opportunity to steal from her this early in the war.

"Where do you think _you're_ going?" Derek sneered as she walked by him.

"To the mall." Casey said, sticking her nose in the air, brushing past him. Casey and Emily went down the stairs. Emily avoided Derek's gaze. Derek watched from the top of the stairs as the girls put their shoes on. Casey grabbed the Prince's keys off their hook.

Derek scoffed. He trotted down the stairs to Casey "You're taking _my_ car." He stated, eyeing Casey closely.

" _Our_ car." She corrected. Derek's breath caught—Casey was stealing the Prince. Derek pressed his lips together and narrowed his eyes at her. This was her first move. She was showing dominance by asserting herself over car privileges.

"I don't think so." Derek laughed, coldly. "I need my car tonight to go to practice. D-Rock has a big show coming up before University starts. It's our farewell gig. I _need_ the car." There was no way he would let Casey mess up his important end-of-summer show.

" _Relax_ Derek." Casey rolled her eyes, "We will be back before you have to go to your precious band practice." She turned to leave.

Derek put his hand on Casey's hip and spun her around. "You are _not..._ taking my car." Derek said quietly, his confidence shaken by the movement of Casey's hips beneath his grasp.

Casey narrowed her eyes and leaned her face up to Derek's. " _Watch me_." She said. She quickly spun back around and walked out the front door with Emily…leaving a stunned Derek behind them.

Derek looked over to Edwin, who was sitting on the couch. They exchanged looks. Casey had made a poor decision. She shouldn't have left the house. _It was_ _time to strike_.


	13. Preliminary Strike

**Chapter 13: Preliminary Strike**

* * *

Casey strut to the Prince, with Emily trailing behind her. The car was parked on the street because Derek had washed it—Derek _never_ cleaned _anything,_ so that fact alone would normally baffle Casey. However, she noticed that in recent family dinners, Derek had been raving over how he was going to drive the Prince _sooo_ much over the summer. _To pick up girls probably_ …

Derek was particularly possessive over the car lately, so taking the car without Casey 'consulting' him first would surely tick him off.

 _This is turning out to be a decent first prank all on its own_ , Casey thought with satisfaction.

Casey strode confidently around the car; Emily waited at the passenger side. As Casey unlocked her door and sat into the driver's seat, she noticed Derek, watching her. She wasn't sure what she saw in his frozen expression. She knew that her small victory over Derek would get under his skin—but perhaps it was also lighting a fire under him. She watched him close the front door and felt worry sneak up on her.

 _Is Derek on to me?_ This _was_ just a bluff after all.

She realized how humiliating and frustrating it would be if they were to sneak back only to discover that Derek figured it out. He would use that as a win, and Casey couldn't afford the loss.

Emily knocked on the passenger-side window. "Casey!"

The Prince was an old vehicle, so it didn't have automatic locks. "Oh, right." Casey said to herself. She reached over and unlocked Emily's door

"Are you okay Casey?" Emily asked, concerned, "Are you sure you want to go through with this?"

Casey realized that she had been staring at Emily, wide-eyed. She tried to relax her face. "Uh, yeah. Of course!" Casey assured, poorly hiding her anxiety. "Besides." She said, starting the car, "It's too late to go back now." She realized the irony that since _going back_ was part of the plan, it was literally too late to give up on the plan and go inside. Casey hoped that she made the right choice in trying to thwart Derek's plans when she didn't even know what his plans _were_.

Casey stared straight ahead, with the car still in park. Maybe they really _could_ go out for a little while, she considered. Stealing the car was an okay prank—she could leave it at that for now. But then Derek would steal something from her in their absence. She couldn't let him win! And where would they even go?! The _mall_?! Casey knew Truman probably wouldn't _still_ go to the mall today, now that they weren't going together, but going _anywhere_ could risk running in to him (which was the _last_ thing Casey wanted to happen).

"Earth to Casey!" Emily prompted.

Casey shook her head to snap out of her anxious daydream. "Right. Let's go," She said, putting on her seat-belt. She adjusted the rear-view mirror slightly to suit her. Even though they were just going to park around the corner…safety first.

* * *

Derek closed the front door. Edwin jumped up off the couch eagerly, shooting finger guns at Derek; he turned to run upstairs.

"Wait." Derek warned. He quickly strode to the windows. He peered around a curtain carefully and subtly. He saw that Casey was in the Prince and Emily was standing outside. "They haven't left yet."

Edwin ran over and clumsily peered around the same curtain, below Derek. Derek sighed at his little brother's inexperience. He surveyed the scene. Emily was still outside, looking into the Prince's passenger window.

 _Why hasn't Emily gotten in the car yet_? _What's taking so long?_ Emily knocked on the car window. Casey unlocked the door for Emily, flustered. Derek chuckled softly,

Edwin fidgeted anxiously as Casey started the engine. "The suspense is killing me…" He whispered.

They waited as the Prince sat there. _Come on Casey, get a move on_!

"What's taking them so long?" Edwin huffed.

"Just wait." Derek ordered, but he wondered the same thing. _Maybe Casey is up to something_ …

Just as he wondered this, Casey started to drive away. Derek and Edwin waited for the car to disappear around the corner.

"Now." Derek said. Edwin tore himself away from the curtains and thundered upstairs.

Derek casually strolled up the stairs to see Edwin pausing at Casey's doorway.

"Time to prove yourself Ed…" Derek said, "Remember?" Edwin nodded and slowly reached for Casey's doorknob, he entered her room cautiously, looking around.

Derek went into his own room, now that Casey was gone, he had to get her off his mind. Being in Casey's room wouldn't help Derek take his mind off her at all, so he left the pranking to Edwin. Particularly, Derek couldn't get Casey's _hips_ out of his mind. Casey's _wrestling position_ reminded Derek of a few make-out sessions he had with girls in the past. He liked that position. He tried not to imagine _Casey_ in that scenario— _clearly_ this wasn't the same thing…

The whole moment with Casey had been so unexpected that it was _really_ throwing Derek off-guard. He threw himself on his bed. He needed to drown out his thoughts. He grabbed his iPod from his bedside table and threw on his headphones. He lay back comfortably and closed his eyes while he listened to his music.

A few seconds into the song, Derek pulled off his headphones—he thought he heard something.

"Oof…UGH! _OW_!" Edwin's muffled yelps echoed through the wall.

Derek sprung out of bed quickly to go investigate. As he left his room, he collided with Casey in the hall, on the way to check it out herself.

 _She's back?!_ Derek and Casey stared at each other for a moment, mouths agape. They both looked toward Casey's room, and back at each other. They tried to elbow past each other into the room.

"Edwin!" Casey yelled. Edwin jumped around holding his foot in pain. "What do you think _you're_ doing?"

"Stepping on a thumbtack or something…" Edwin winced.

"More like a booby trap" Casey sneered. She turned around to face Derek. "Figures you would make _Edwin_ do your dirty work, Derek." She looked him up and down.

Derek avoided eye contact with her. Instead, he glared at Edwin. "The kid's gotta learn. He _clearly_ needs the _practice_." Edwin stared back at him, wide eyed and leaning on Casey's desk.

"You can leave now Edwin." Casey said, without turning her gaze away from Derek. Derek looked off into the corner, his arms crossed, defensively. Edwin scurried past them, out the door.

Derek allowed himself to look at Casey, who was glaring up at him, intensely. He stared back down at her.

 _Casey set me up_! Derek tried to keep his face still as stone. He wasn't going to give Casey the satisfaction of a reaction.

Casey's glare turned into a smirk "Don't you have to get to band practice soon?" She dangled the Prince's keys in the air. Derek's eyed the keys for a moment and his gaze flickered back to Casey's smirk. Her lips parted into a smile and she jingled the keys. Derek reluctantly snatched them from Casey and turned around, casting her a warning glance. He _did_ need to go to band practice. He couldn't blow it off, the end-of-summer show was too important. Derek was going to band practice, even if it meant that Casey would try to steal from him while he was gone. He would have to rely on Edwin to protect his stuff. _Edwin_...who just failed _miserably_.

Derek went to his room and threw the keys in his pocket. He found Edwin sitting on the bed.

"Nice going in there, Ed." Derek said sarcastically.

 _Casey could actually win this war_.

Edwin jumped up. "Don't you mean…thank you?" He winked, holding out a few pieces of wrinkled paper.


	14. Grand-Theft La-Z Boy

**Chapter 14: Grand Theft La-Z Boy**

* * *

The recliner sat ripe with apprehension (and odor probably). Casey sighed, looking over at Emily who was sitting on the couch watching TV. It put everything into perspective. Casey realized this whole war was _kind of_ petty and dramatic and that Emily was probably having a terrible time being caught in the middle. Casey just wanted to beat Derek—she _had_ to beat Derek!

Casey _needed_ to win this war. Derek hurt her, and this was her way of getting over her feelings about it. _E_ _verything_ felt terrible. She couldn't resign to feeling like that! She needed to fight against those feelings and strive to feel something good…like sweet, sweet victory over Derek! This war had been Casey's only priority. She didn't even want to _think_ about anything else.

But, Emily was _such_ a good friend. Emily was on Casey's side through everything, supporting her. Casey knew Emily was a priority. She went to join her best friend on the couch.

"I'm sorry you have to put up with all of this, Em." Casey said.

Emily sighed, "It _has_ been a bit much…"

Casey winced. _I'm such a bad friend_.

She began to apologize again, "Emily, I'm so sor—"

" _But_ , honestly this has been pretty fun!" Emily interrupted. She put her knees up on the couch, getting comfortable, angling herself more openly to Casey. "I'll admit, I can't wait to see Derek's face when he finds out what you did!" Emily went serious, somewhat worried, "Or, maybe I shouldn't actually stick around to see that part, it might get awkward. But, I can't wait to hear all about it later!" Emily piped back up with a mischievous grin.

Casey smiled back, politely. "We haven't even gotten to the hard part yet…" She eyed Derek's recliner anxiously.

"Still. I can't wait!" Emily gushed.

Unlike Emily, Casey didn't feel excited. She was mostly just worried. What if she couldn't pull this off? It was a pretty big prank…

"Want to watch a movie or something while we wait for Derek to leave?" Casey suggested, getting up to put on a DVD. She was starting to get increasingly anxious. She needed to get her head clear before the big event.

They watched Finding Nemo, but Casey didn't really pay attention to anything on screen. She was worried about Derek's future vengeance. She had no idea how he would react, only that it would be bad. Casey had planned that this prank would immediately crown her as winner of the war. But, she knew it was foolish to think that Derek would let that be the end of things. He would _possibly_ concede to her in the war, but they had to _live_ together for the next few months at home, and he would still be around for the next four _years_ in University!

Was winning the war still worth it if it made her public enemy number one in the eyes of Derek? Wait…wasn't she _already_ public enemy number one in the eyes of Derek? At least at home she was…

Despite herself, Casey's mind wandered to the night before. Thankfully, she didn't think about Truman, or any of the more _traumatic_ moments of the evening. She thought about Derek soothing her in the cab, his hand moving in slow, calming circles on her back. Derek's palm was heavy and warm and made her feel secure. His fingertips had danced in small playful patterns which hypnotized Casey into a comfortable sleep on his chest.

She had felt so safe in his arms. It was hard to believe that the person who could make her feel so safe in that moment was the same person who tormented her in her every-day life. That was _exactly_ why Casey needed to take Derek down.

Derek was _there_ for Casey in a vulnerable moment, and then he just took it all back the next day! If Derek _wanted_ to prank Casey and torment her, then _so be it_. Two could play at that game! And it was a game Casey was determined to _win_. She felt resolved in her plan to prank Derek. She was no longer worried about the consequences…she was just impatient to get started. The movie was over halfway done. Casey looked at the clock.

 _Derek should have left at least fifteen minutes ago!_ Casey worried that perhaps Derek wasn't going to go, to protect himself from getting pranked.

Suddenly, the front door opened. Lizzie shuffled in with a large duffel bag. "Bye Morgan!" She shouted out the door, waving.

"Oooh! Who's Morgan?" Casey teased.

Lizzie's face went red. "A friend."

Lizzie hated being teased about boys, but Casey was curious about her little sister's love life. Casey wanted Lizzie to seek her guidance on matters of the heart. Not that Casey's love life was anything to look up to…

"Is this _friend_ a boy?" Casey pried.

Lizzie's face was flushed, and she laughed anxiously. "No. Casey stop it. Morgan's…not a boy." Lizzie held up her duffel bag. "I just got back from a sleepover. At… _her_ house." She kicked off her shoes with an attitude. "Can you just _drop it_? Okay?" She stomped upstairs.

 _Oh_. Casey was a little bummed out. Talking about boys with Lizzie would help Casey take her mind off her own boy troubles. Plus, Lizzie seemed mad at her now. Casey reassured herself it was probably just hormones. Defiant and moody? Obviously, it was _puberty_ related.

Casey heard Derek laugh from the top of the stairs. "Whoa! Watch out Liz! _Rock-god_ coming through!" Casey rolled her eyes at the size of Derek's ego.

As Derek came down the stairs with his guitar case, Casey felt her heart flutter in anticipation. It was nearly time to initiate the prank!

Derek didn't say a word as he put on his shoes and threw his bag over his shoulder. Casey and Emily watched him silently. Derek opened the door to leave and paused.

"If you touch any of my stuff, you'll regret it" He said, turning to Casey.

Casey was un-phased. She smirked. "In case you didn't know…your car is parked around the corner."

Derek seemed to hold his breath. He stared at her for a moment, hesitating.

Casey raised her eyebrows at him. "Better not keep the boys waiting." She said smugly. Derek tore his eyes away from her and reluctantly left the house.

She felt a surge of excitement. She wanted to steal Derek's chair _right away_ …but she knew she should wait a reasonable amount of time to ensure Derek had really left. The last thing she wanted was for Derek to prank her the same way she pranked him by catching her in the act.

"We go on my signal." Casey announced in a whisper.

Emily looked around, unsure of why Casey was whispering. "Uh…" She whispered back, "Okay."

When the movie ended, Casey floated gracefully up from the couch, twirling and posing with her arms in the air. Emily stared up at her, confused.

Casey dropped her arms and sighed. " _That's_ the signal!"

"Oh!" Emily gasped, standing up off the couch. The two girls went and stood in front of Derek's chair. It sat there ominously. Casey and Emily looked at each other, unsure of how to proceed.

"I guess…" Casey walked around the chair. "I'll grab it here, and you grab it on the other side." Emily followed Casey's instructions and the pair attempted to lift the chair from the ground. It was quite heavy, but not impossible to carry.

"Where to?" Emily strained.

"My room…" Casey winced apologetically.

Emily sighed, "Let's go then."

They slowly started making it up the stairs with Derek's 'throne.' It had already taken them quite some time, and a lot of effort, but they were only halfway up the stairs. They were both out of breath.

"Are you sure you don't want to just…put it back?" Emily asked, hopefully.

Casey couldn't turn back now. "No way! We have to see this through!" Casey's voice grew to a shout. "We can't let Derek win!"

"Are you sure this isn't just a distraction?" Emily asked

"Distraction?!" Casey scoffed. "From what?"

"From last night?" Emily mumbled, cautiously.

Casey momentarily rested her half of the recliner on the stairs to take a break. Emily followed suit, setting down her corner and bracing the chair from sliding down the stairs.

 _Last night…_

It was true that Casey was avoiding thinking about what happened the night before. It was too painful to think about. She hadn't even let herself truly cry about it yet. She knew it would be a very big cry and she wasn't ready for it yet. But, that wasn't the only reason she was doing this.

"It—it's _not_ just a distraction! This is about _principle_ , Emily! Derek pranks me all the time. He torments me, and he doesn't look out for anyone but himself! He deserves this!"

"What about last night?" Emily wondered.

"I told you! It's not about last night."

"No… _last night_." Emily said, " _Derek_ looked out for _you_. Remember?"

Casey certainly _remembered_. "I don't know _who_ that guy was, but clearly it wasn't _Derek_. Derek just wants to prank me." Casey said sarcastically. "He couldn't care less about me…" She trailed off bitterly.

"Ah, I see." Emily said, knowingly. Casey saw recognition in Emily's eyes, as though she had just figured something out. Casey wondered if the recognition was Emily's understanding of how Derek was incapable of caring about anyone but himself.

"Come on," Casey said. "Let's lift!"

The pair carried the recliner up the rest of the staircase. When they neared the top, Casey could hear muffled music. She looked down the hallway as they brought the chair up to the second floor. Edwin was parked in front of Derek's room, listening to Derek's iPod with headphones. He was rocking out to the music he was blasting into his ears. Casey wasn't worried. Edwin wasn't much of a threat.

As they reached the top of the stairs, Edwin noticed and jumped up, shocked. He tore the headphones out of his ears. "What are you doing?!" He yelled, baffled.

Casey ignored him and proceeded to carry the chair to her room.

"You can't take Derek's _chair_! I—I—I won't let you!" Edwin stuttered. He jumped up to sit on the recliner.

 _Oof!_ The chair got _a lot_ heavier, Casey and Emily dropped the chair to the ground with Edwin in it. It was impossible to carry the chair with his added weight.

"Edwin! Get off!" Casey demanded.

"What's going on out here?" Lizzie asked, coming out of her room to inspect the commotion. She surveyed the scene in front of her. "Are you…stealing Derek's chair?"

Casey didn't know what to say. She let out a string of stuttering-sounds. _Oh my god, the plan is falling apart_ _!_

"As a matter of fact, we are." Emily stated. "Aren't we Casey?"

Casey looked at Lizzie and Edwin's frantic faces. She sighed. "Look." She said. She hated getting Lizzie involved but she didn't have a choice. "You can either help me get this chair into my room, _or_ you can carry it all the way back downstairs yourselves before _Derek_ gets home."

Edwin crossed his arms defiantly. "I'm just going to sit _right here_."

Lizzie sighed. "The sooner this is over, the better." She walked over and grabbed Edwin by the ear, yanking him up.

"OW, OW, OW!" Edwin yelped. "Take it easy! I'm up! I'm up!"

As Edwin rubbed his ear, Casey and Emily carried the chair the rest of the way into her room. They set it down. Casey looked at the chair triumphantly. She sat down in it, running her fingers over the fabric of the arm-rests, enjoying what was now _hers_. Edwin and Lizzie came in and exchanged worried looks. Lizzie rolled her eyes and left, as Edwin ran to the chair and foolishly tried to lift it (and Casey) by himself.

"I should probably go home…" Emily mumbled, backing out of Casey's room. "Call me later tonight with the details?"

"Promise." Casey grinned, pulling the lever on the chair's side and reclining, causing Edwin to fall backwards.

Edwin continued to try to lift the chair for some time, but eventually he realized defeat and left. Casey enjoyed sitting in Derek's throne in solitude. She couldn't wait to see his reaction. Casey really felt like she had already won. But part of her still felt like it wasn't enough…She really wanted to rub it in Derek's face that she bested him.

Casey noticed something on the ground next to the chair. She picked it up. Derek's iPod! Edwin must have dropped it when he was trying to lift the chair.

Seeing Derek's iPod gave Casey a few new ideas…


	15. Underestimation of Provocation

**Chapter 15: Underestimation of Provocation**

 **Author's Note:** This story has been updated since it was first published. This used to be 3 chapters, but I have combined it into one. Most of chapter 16 was lost, as it was redundant and weakly written. Nothing of importance was lost. **  
**

* * *

Derek sped home in the Prince. Normally band practice would go all night long, and Derek would just hang out with his buddies. But he cut practice short this time. As important as D-Rock practice _was_ for Derek, he couldn't concentrate on the music. He kept thinking about Casey and what she might be doing to prank him. He felt like he was in a dangerous position. Casey was doing _really_ _well_ in this war. Perhaps he had underestimated her after all. He was anxious to get home.

Derek parked the Prince in the garage. He came in through the kitchen. As soon as he opened the door, he heard frantic footsteps. Suddenly Edwin appeared in front of him, wide eyed and panicked.

"Derek!" Edwin said with fake excitement, obviously hiding something. "Wh—what are you doing home so early?" He fake laughed. "I thought you'd be out all night!"

"What is it Edwin?" Derek demanded, seeing right through the facade. He shoved past him. _Whatever's going on has Casey written all over it_. "What did she take?" Derek stomped into the living room.

"I tried to stop her, Derek! Really! I tried!" Edwin pleaded, following him.

Derek stopped dead in his tracks, and Edwin slammed into him.

There was something missing.

Something big.

Derek stared at the spot where his chair used to be. There were dusty outlines of its figure on the floor. He walked over and stood in the empty space. Edwin gaped at him in horror.

 _Casey_.

Derek felt a bizarre mix of emotions. He was intensely angry, of course. But he was also incredibly impressed. He was _not_ expecting this from Casey. That didn't change the fact that this was unacceptable! This wasn't over…

Derek went to confront her. Edwin got in front of him before he reached the stairs.

"Derek, Derek! Murder is illegal!" Edwin reminded, holding his hands up defensively.

Derek took a slow breath. "Out of my way, Edwin." He said, threateningly. Edwin gulped and stepped aside.

 _There_ _is no way Casey is getting away with this_ , Derek thought as he stomped purposefully to Casey's room. Instinctively, he swung open the door (without knocking, of course), to see her sitting in his chair, staged in the center of the room.

Casey lounged on Derek's recliner as though she _owned_ it. Derek's eyes scanned the curves of her legs, taking in the sight in front of him. She was reclining back in the chair with her feet tucked up on the seat. And she was…

Listening to his iPod!

…And eating his cereal!?

Derek couldn't believe what he was seeing! One thing stood out the most to Derek…

Casey was wearing his _hockey jersey_!It was way too big for her. It fell over her in waves, hanging lightly off one shoulder. Casey grinned smugly at Derek, flipping her hair back and popping some cereal into her mouth—teasing him.

Every coherent thought left Derek's mind. Whatever he felt toward Casey…it certainly wasn't _anger_.

He stood in her doorway, completely bewildered; seeing Casey in his hockey jersey was too much for him. Derek had been fighting off his ' _thoughts'_ all day since his little wrestling match with her. The prank war had _almost_ been successful in helping him to forget about it. But, Casey's unexpected prank was _provocative_. It was clear that Casey meant to provoke anger or annoyance, but instead, she was provoking an entirely _different_ range of emotions.

Stealing his chair was one thing, but the whole _staging_ of it…was _way_ over the top! It seemed fantastical and unreal, like he was in an alternate reality in which Casey McDonald was some sort of…

 _Evil mastermind?_

 _Manipulative genius?_

… _Cheeky temptress?!_

But this was real life; this was Casey…his _step-_ sister! Derek couldn't take his eyes off her. He couldn't care less about his stolen property. His only thoughts were of Casey.

 _Unbelievable! Impossibly smug…_

… _Sexy as hell._

Casey looked frustratingly adorable in his jersey, and her playful smirk teased him. Derek knew he couldn't be thinking like that…he needed to stop! He tore his eyes from her and turned to leave. He _had_ to get out of there, he couldn't keep _staring_ at her! Derek cursed himself. There was absolutely no _way_ he was attracted to _Casey_!

 _Where did this even come from?_ Of course, Derek had noticed Casey's looks before (he wasn't an idiot), and he saw how other guys reacted to her. But she was _Casey!_ Uptight, keener… _Casey_! She was his step-sister! He wasn't allowed to think of her like that. _Damn_ _that stupid remote fight._

Before Derek could wrap his head around everything, Casey appeared in front of him. "Wait! That's _it_? You're not even going to yell at me?" She looked up at him anxiously. His non-reaction seemed to freak her out immensely. Derek knew she likely thought he was already plotting his revenge.

 _She would probably explode if she knew what I was really thinking_ , Derek worried.

He looked down at her. He hated how good his jersey looked on her. Casey still held on to Derek's iPod, with one earbud still clinging on. She was completely enveloped in things that were _his_. It was like the universe was teasing him! Derek knew that as much as he wanted Casey right now, he could never have her (for so many reasons).

"Why? Do you _want_ me to?" Derek couldn't help but banter, it came so naturally. Besides, he didn't want Casey to catch on to what he was thinking about. "I'll take that!" He said, snatching the iPod away from Casey, rolling it up with the headphones and stuffing it in his back pocket. At least he could reclaim _some_ dignity.

Casey stepped closer. Derek wanted to step back, to avoid doing anything _stupid_ , but he didn't want to show any weakness. "You can have your iPod back Derek." Casey said. "But your chair, and your _jersey_ …are _mine_ now" She smirked wickedly.

Derek imagined for a moment…Casey strolling into the kitchen for breakfast in his jersey…Casey sleeping in his jersey. It was probably unrealistic, but it meant the torture would never end! In Derek's jersey, Casey would always be a walking, talking, teasing reminder of what he could never have, and he would only want her more and more! If these feelings were ever going to go away, he _needed_ that jersey back!

" _Take it off_." Derek whispered through his teeth. He heard the double meaning in his words and he hoped that Casey missed it.

" _Make me_." She challenged.

 _Fuck! Does she know what she's doing to me?_

He gazed at Casey intensely. Every muscle in his body urged him to take her up on the challenge. Every part of him was buzzing, pulling him to do what he desperately wanted to do. The tension was too much to handle.

Derek closed the space between them—millimeters from touching. His fingers wrapped under the hem of the jersey. Casey looked down at what Derek was doing, and her wide eyes shot back up to him.

He took the loose fabric into his grasp. Although he knew it was completely _crazy…_ every part of him yearned to pull Casey tightly into him and kiss her fiercely.

Images of a heated kiss flashed through Derek's imagination, but his body refused to act. Instead, he just stared down at Casey, and she stared back. He worried Casey could sense what he was thinking, reflected through his eyes. He wanted to collide into Casey—push her up against the wall in the hallway, their lips an entangled mess. He wanted to rip that jersey off her and toss it aside. His grip on the jersey tightened. He wasn't sure how long he could restrain himself…especially since it felt like Casey was waiting for him. He bit his lower lip.

"Hello?" The moment was interrupted by a voice calling from downstairs. Nora was home. Derek was somehow both relieved…and disappointed. "Anybody home?"

Derek heard Nora's footsteps coming up the stairs. Casey's wide eyes grew impossibly wider. Suddenly, she pulled away and started frantically pulling the jersey off over her head. Derek stared at Casey, shocked by her abrupt behavior. She tossed the jersey to Derek. He looked down at it in his arms and quickly back at Casey. Her hair was tousled and full of static; she anxiously smoothed it out, and straightened out her tank top.

"Hello?" Nora called, reaching the top of the stairs.

"Hi mom!" Casey said, her voice higher than usual.

"Oh, you're _both_ home. I thought you would be at band practice, Derek" Nora said, confused.

Derek looked over at Casey. She looked guilty as hell. "Oh yeah! It, uh…ended early" He shrugged.

"Is that your…hockey jersey?" Nora asked, gesturing.

Derek looked down at the crumpled mess in his arms. "Yeah. I was going to…wash it." Derek was normally a fantastic liar, but everything felt off. Today was _not_ his day.

"You were going to wash it." Nora stated slowly, as though it sounded impossible.

"Yeah!" Casey interjected "I was going to help him get it framed, so he could hang it up in his dorm room at Queen's!" Casey said anxiously, a fake smile plastered on her face.

Nora grinned, falling for Casey's lie. "Oh that sounds like a wonderful idea!"

Derek and Casey both breathed a sigh of relief, conspiratorially exchanging glances.

Nora seemed to sense their weird shift in attitude. "What's going on between you two? Another fight?" Looks like they weren't off the hook after all.

"Nothing!" Derek and Casey both said in unison.

"Okay…" Nora said, unconvinced. "Well George called me and said he was bringing home Chinese. He's picking up Marti from day camp and will be home in about 15 minutes. So, why don't you both wash up and come down to get ready for dinner?"

Nora went back downstairs. Derek slung the jersey over his shoulder and sighed. He looked over at Casey. She had been staring at him but averted her gaze when he caught her. She risked another look back at him and shied away from his glance once more. Derek wanted to say something sarcastic to cut the tension, but he couldn't think of anything. Man, he was really off his game…

Casey turned to walk downstairs, without a word.

 _Great. This is going to be a weird family dinner…_


	16. The Royal Feast

**Chapter 16: The Royal Feast**

 **Author's Note:** This chapter has been updated since it was first published. This was previously two different chapters, but I have combined them.

* * *

After hiding his jersey in his room where Casey would never find it, Derek made his way down the staircase. Casey was standing hesitantly on the bottom step, staring at the spot where Derek's chair _used_ to be. He stopped behind her and leaned down to put his lips to her ear.

"Don't worry Princess, I'm sure the fam won't notice a thing!"

Casey jumped slightly. He brushed past her, casting her a cocky smirk. Casey bit her lip anxiously, fidgeting her fingers. Her eyes darted between Derek and the empty space. He wondered what was making her _more_ anxious. The chair? Or _him_?

Derek would normally lounge in his chair before dinner but obviously that wasn't an option. He stood in the dining room as Casey rushed frantically past him into the kitchen. Derek thought it was ironic that whenever Casey pranked him, she felt so guilty that it was more like a prank on _herself_. She was always too rattled by the consequences of her own actions. That's why Derek would always win—he _had_ no guilty conscience. Casey might have _thought_ she won the war with her insane and provocative prank, but Derek always won in the end.

 _What Derek wants, Derek gets_.

He followed Casey into the kitchen and leaned against the wall, watching intently as she grabbed the stack of plates out of Nora's hands.

"I'll set the table mom!" She urgently insisted. "You just… _stay right here_ , and I'll take care of everything!"

It was always amusing to see Casey like this—she was so strange. It wasn't like she could _actually_ prevent people from finding out. After all, there was a large piece of furniture missing from the living room! People were bound to notice! But, leave it to Casey to freak out anyways. It was almost endearing. _Almost_.

Derek strolled back into the dining room. He crossed his arms and watched as Casey frantically set the plates. She ran back to the kitchen, shooting Derek a dirty look on her way. Derek grinned in return. Casey returned with utensils and napkins.

"Are you going to help? Or are you just going to stand there and watch me?" Casey criticized.

"Hmm, good question…" Derek stroked his chin, pretending to be deep in thought. "I _could_ help you. But, watching you run around like a chicken with its head cut off is _much_ more entertaining." Derek flashed a crooked smile. Casey scowled at him.

George and Marti stumbled in through the back door. Casey's head snapped up at the sound. She looked like a guilty little deer caught in the headlights.

"Guess who's got Chinese from Mo Chou's!" George announced excitedly. Marti cheered in response. George made his way into the dining room with the bag of food. He started taking containers out and setting them on the table. "We've got beef and broccoli! We've got sesame chicken! We've got fried rice! We've got those vegetables Lizzie likes! We've got noodles! We've got—"

"The best ginger beef in all of Canada!" Marti acclaimed.

Nora chuckled. "Don't let Aunt Belinda, and our cousins from Calgary hear you saying that! They'll fly all the way out here just to try to prove you wrong!"

"If they bring more ginger beef, you won't hear any complaints from me!" Marti sung.

Derek noticed Casey angling herself between the family and the empty space in the living room. He knew that her tiny frame wouldn't be much help in blocking the view. It was only a matter of time before everyone realized that the chair was missing. Edwin and Lizzie came rushing downstairs, entirely focused on the food.

"Did you get—" Lizzie started.

"Yes Lizzie. We've got your vegetables. We also have some vegetarian fried rice and some noodles you can eat as well." George assured.

"A feast!" Edwin proclaimed, licking his lips. Edwin, Lizzie and Marti eagerly took their seats at the table.

George laughed, merrily. "That's right! We're _all_ eating like _kings_ tonight!" He regally took his place at the head of the table.

Nora put down some extra cutlery for serving and took her place at the table across from George. "Let's dig in!" She announced. "Come on you two…" Nora called, motioning for Derek and Casey. Casey jumped. "Don't keep the King and Queen of this feast waiting!" Nora said with a posh British accent. She smiled proudly at her little joke.

Derek smirked at Casey while they took their seats at the dinner table. Her eyes were darting around, nervously. He always had fun getting a rise out of Casey. This time, it was payback. Casey had just about made him _lose his mind_. Who the hell knows what would have happened if Nora hadn't interrupted! At least whatever he had been feeling was gone now…right? Now, Derek could get back to his regular routine of getting on Casey's nerves. Getting Casey all _flustered_ was the perfect way to even the score. Plus, the blush to her cheeks was kind of cute…in a tormenting kind of way…

"I thought we were _all_ kings!" Edwin jokingly complained, "No problem! Perhaps I can be…Sir Edwin the Valiant!"

Lizzie nearly choked laughing. "Perhaps it could be a democracy instead."

Edwin shook his head "Nah! I'd rather be a _knight_ _!_ "

" _You_ would more likely be the court jester!" Lizzie giggled.

Edwin comedically mimed falling out of his chair. Derek smiled and rolled his eyes. Casey laughed alongside the rest of the family. She seemed to have calmed down a little.

The group made some light chit-chat as they finished dishing up. "So how was camp today Marti?" Nora chimed. "Your first day! How exciting!"

Marti shrugged "It sucked."

George sighed. "Marti!"

"Well, it _did_." Marti asserted.

"Why? What happened?" Nora asked.

Marti stabbed at the food on her plate. "Nothing, really. I just had to sit with Dimi at lunch. He is so annoying! I didn't get to sit with any of my new friends…" Marti shoved a piece of ginger beef into her mouth and chewed it, vigorously.

"But Marti, you've been friends with Dimi Davis for years! He isn't _that_ bad, is he?" Nora asked hopefully. Marti didn't say anything—she just stared at Nora and ate her ginger beef. Nora frowned… _that bad apparently_. "Speaking of the Davis's…"

 _Oh great_.

"Derek…" Nora continued, directing her attention to him. He pressed his lips together and looked up from his food. He knew where this was going…and he _really_ didn't want to talk about Emily. Everyone always made a big deal about his break ups. He would rather move on and forget about it. "We have tons of extra food, why don't you invite Emily over?"

"But then there wouldn't be as many leftovers for tomorrow." Derek laughed dryly. "Think of the children, Nora!"

Nora gave him a disapproving look. "Derek."

Derek sighed. "Emily and I—kind of…" He winced, "Broke up, okay? Not a big deal." He went back to eating.

"You and Emily?" George asked. "Already? What happened?" Derek could hear an undertone of disapproval and accusation in his father's voice. George was always a little apprehensive about Derek's taste in women. He was always excited when Derek found a nice girl to be in a relationship with, rather than bringing home different dates every other night.

"Yeah, D! What'd you do to mess _this_ one up?" Edwin laughed. Derek shot him a warning glance.

"When did you break up?" Lizzie asked, "When Emily was over earlier today she seemed fine."

Casey shifted awkwardly in her seat.

"This morning. Seriously, it's nothing." Derek assured, attempting to drop the subject. "I'm already over it. So is Emily."

"Well…" Marti joined in, " _I'm_ not surprised. It just wasn't a good fit, in _my_ opinion."

"Exactly. Thank you, Smarti!" Derek said, with finality.

 _At least someone in this family has their head screwed on right._

Nora shook her head. "Well _I'm_ surprised…and _confused!_ I thought Casey and Truman broke up…"

Casey's jaw dropped. She looked around the table. She stammered—words caught in her throat.

"What?" Lizzie gasped, staring at Casey.

"They _did_." Derek stated, firmly. Casey closed her mouth, and watched the conversation, carefully. She clearly didn't want to get involved.

"Wait…" Edwin ruminated, "Were these break ups _connected_ in any way?" He looked at Derek and Casey suspiciously. Lizzie kicked Edwin under the table. " _OW_! What was that for?"

Derek had no idea what Edwin could possibly mean by ' _connected_.' He supposed that the break ups _were_ kind of related—The Casey and Truman thing _did_ sort of lead to Emily dumping him.

"No!" Casey stated, brusquely. "And I don't want to talk about it!" She pushed the food around on her plate, she had hardly eaten anything.

"Me either!" Derek scoffed, shoving a forkful of food into his mouth.

Everyone ate in awkward silence for a moment. "Hey Smerek, where did your chair go?" Marti asked suddenly.

Derek had originally been looking forward to the big reveal of Casey's prank—her reaction would be priceless! But, after all the break up talk he just wanted to eat his dinner in peace. He groaned. Casey stared at him, wide-eyed, the color drained from her face. He _almost_ considered making up an excuse for Casey. You know…to avoid the confrontation.

"Yeah, Derek!" George stood up from the table with his hands on his hips. He gestured to the empty space in the living room. He wasn't quite _angry_ , but he seemed _prepared_ for angry. "Where _is_ your chair?"

Derek hadn't expected the whole thing to be turned around on _him_ —this was _Casey's_ fault! She looked petrified. There was no _way_ she was going to fess up.

 _Wanna know where the chair is?! Ask Casey!_ Annoyed _,_ Derek opened his mouth to speak his mind.

Suddenly, Casey's phone started ringing, drawing the family's attention.

.

* * *

 _I've been awake for a while now_

 _You've got me feeling like a child now_

* * *

.

Casey fumbled to get her phone out of her pocket.

.

* * *

 _'Cause every time I see your bubbly face_

 _I get the tingles in a silly place—_

* * *

.

Casey dismissed the call. "Sorry." She mumbled, embarrassed.

George sighed. He directed his attention back to Derek. "You'd better—"

.

* * *

 _I've been awake for a while now_

 _You've got me feeling like a child now—_

* * *

.

Casey dismissed her interrupting phone again, blushing deeply. Nora tsked with disapproval, "Casey, when we got you and Derek cell phones for graduation, you both promised! No phones at the dinner table!"

"I know mom, I'm sorry! I really wasn't expecting anyone to call!" Casey defended.

.

* * *

 _I've been awake for a while now—_

* * *

.

Everyone groaned.

.

* * *

 _You've got me feeling like a child now—_

* * *

.

"Just pick it up." Nora sighed. "It might be an emergency."

.

* * *

' _Cause every time I see your bubbly face—_

* * *

.

"Really? Are you sure?" Casey asked.

.

* * *

 _I get the tingles in a silly place—_

* * *

.

"Yes!" Everyone shouted. If this went on any longer, Derek's brain would melt.

Casey answered the phone. "Hello?" She squeaked. There was a long pause. Casey's jaw dropped. "What?!" She shrieked, appalled. "Who is this?" Tears started welling up in her eyes. The family looked around at each other, confused. "No! That's not true!" Casey's chin started to quiver. Derek could hear uproarious laughter buzzing through the phone speakers. It was clearly a prank-call. He couldn't just sit by and watch.

Derek reached over and yanked Casey's phone out of her hand. Dumbstruck, Casey reached out to take it back—with fear in her eyes. She hesitated, with her arm outstretched. Derek maintained eye contact with her while he brought the phone up to his ear. She didn't stop him. Derek wasn't sure what he saw in her expression as he listened to the laughter on the other end. He could feel the intense gaze of everyone at the table, but his eyes never strayed from Casey's.

"It _is_ true! Everyone's talking about it." The dirtbag on the phone cackled.

Derek knew _exactly_ who the caller was—he knew everyone. "I know a weasel when I hear one, Plunkett." Derek intimidated. Casey raised her eyebrows at Derek slightly, her mouth still hanging loosely agape.

"Ooo!" Corey Plunkett teased, "Guys…guys…" His voice called, distantly "It's Derek!" The laughter in the background grew hysterical. "Venturi to the rescue!"

"Lose this number. Don't call again." Derek warned. "Or you'll answer to me." He snapped the phone shut. Casey's mouth closed with the phone. She eyed Derek, curiously. He slid the phone along the table to her.

"Is anyone going to explain what just happened?" Lizzie demanded.

"Who's Plunkett?" Edwin asked, "Isn't he the guy who broke his butt in seven places, and sued the school?"

"He broke his butt?" Marti asked, impressed.

"Just a prank call." Derek stated stiffly. He had no idea why Corey Plunkett would want to harass Casey. He couldn't _possibly_ still be upset about his bruised ass! There was definitely something going on…

"Well, is everything okay?" Nora worried.

Casey looked down at her plate. Derek could tell that she was trying to hold herself together. "Yeah. It was just stupid." Derek assured.

Everyone took a collective breath. George sat down. He clasped his hands together, he seemed calm. "I still expect an answer from you, Derek."

Casey seemed to be one breath away from a major meltdown…and not the fun kind. Derek rolled his head back. It seemed like he was going to have to make up an excuse for Casey after all. He was already being blamed anyway…

"Don't sweat dad. The chair is fine." Derek promised.

"Where _is_ it?" George stared him down.

Derek was still trying to think of a valid excuse. "Upstairs." He offered.

"Upstairs?" Nora asked. "Why is it upstairs?"

" _I_ stole it!" Casey interrupted tearfully. Derek was surprised. He hadn't expected Casey to confess! Of course, Casey would do it right as he was about to take the fall for her! He kind of wished she hadn't said anything.

"You _stole_ it?" Nora shouted, baffled.

" _Derek_ stole my granola bar and I was really annoyed, so _I_ stole the remote from _him_ …" Casey rambled. "And next thing I knew, there was a full-on prank war!" Casey threw her face into her hands.

"A prank war?" George sighed, "You _know_ I love pranks, just as much as the next guy…"

Edwin snorted.

"But the fighting ends here!" George decided.

"I agree." Nora said. "You two are going off to University in a few months! You'll be living away from home…"

"You're both getting a little too old for this kind of behavior." George finished.

"Oh god, you're right!" Casey cried. "I don't even know what I was thinking!" She put her hand to her chest, her breathing quickening. "I can't believe I've stooped to Derek's level!"

Derek was a little hurt by Casey's comment. It's not like he _forced_ her to steal his chair! He _especially_ hadn't asked for Casey to steal his hockey jersey and pose for him just to tease him. It teased him in more ways than he was willing to admit.

"Oh no, no, no." Derek laughed, wryly. "That ' _prank'_ you pulled…was all _you_ Princess."

Casey's face twisted up painfully and a river of tears rolled down her cheeks. She quickly stood up from the table and ran upstairs, sobbing.

 _Shit._


	17. Meltdown

**Chapter 17: Meltdown**

* * *

Casey paced quickly, back and forth in her room, her movements sharp and rapid. "Okay, Casey…" She coached herself, "You need to get yourself together!"

She was having difficulty keeping her breathing under control, and tears were still streaming down her sore cheeks. She tried to take a few deep breaths, but the air flew out of her lungs, shaky and tired. She knew that if she thought about any of the things that were haunting her troubled mind, she would lose it…she would be completely out of control, and everything would come crashing down. Casey didn't want to let those feelings win. She couldn't let all the things she was scared to think about bubble to the surface. She was too busy trying to pretend none of this was real.

She needed to calm down. She needed to _distract_ herself.

University planning! Planning for her future (and planning in general) was like self-care for Casey. She needed something to feel good about. Casey sat at her desk and flicked on her lamp. She tied her hair up tightly in a pink scrunchie and wiped the tears from her face, along with some stray tear-soaked strands of hair, which she tucked behind her ears. If she looked like less of a mess, maybe she would feel like less of a mess.

Casey might have been a mess, but so was her desk! Why was it so messy? Casey scoffed, sifting through loose papers. Everything was _supposed_ to be in her color coordinated desk organizer! But, there were pages _everywhere_! Papers were crumpled and thrown all over the place!

"Uaargg!" Casey groaned in frustration, eyes glistening and an angry blush climbing to her face. She gathered all the papers in a pile as neatly as she could. Sorting through them, she realized that there was a _lot_ of pages missing…

"Where's my academic sample schedule?!" Casey gasped, flitting through the various papers. "And my pro-con list for declaring my major?!" Casey started to panic. _Oh my god!_ "WHERE'S THE SHEET DETAILING MY SHORT-TERM AND LONG-TERM GOALS?!"

Casey stood up from her desk and resumed pacing, more intensely. She thought she had _thwarted_ Derek's prank! But apparently _not_ _!_ She felt like the floor had fallen from under her, she was lightheaded. The seemingly petty detail of a missing goal sheet pushed her over the edge. A sob choked out from her throat and she threw herself on the bed. All the feelings she had been suppressing started washing over her in strong waves. She couldn't hold them off any longer.

Casey's brain didn't even know where to start! How could there be a logical progression to her thoughts? Her mind was a huge mess! The obvious place to start was the moment when Casey's world decided to change _everything_ without her permission. Truman's party. Casey felt a twinge of pain; it hurt to think about. She hadn't wanted to admit what happened…it didn't feel real. One moment, Casey was a happy high school grad, starting the summer of her life! She had been accepted to her dream University! She was at the party of the year! She had the perfect boyfriend… _or so she thought_. And the next? Her supposedly perfect boyfriend turned into some kind of cruel, pushy— _CREEP_! Through her avoidance, Casey hadn't been able to bring herself to admit what really happened at the party.

Truman had tried to sexually assault her. He _knew_ she wasn't ready…but he was a drunk asshole who wanted to push her into doing it anyway. She told him no, and he kept going! Casey knew that he would have kept going even _further_ if she had not been able to stop him. Truman's forceful hands on her hips had stirred some primal survival instinct within her. She _knew_ she wasn't safe with him.

Casey screamed into her pillow and curled up into a ball, throwing the covers over her head. The thought of what _could_ have happened if she was unable to push him off her…was terrifying.

How was she supposed to know that she was putting herself into a dangerous situation?! She only had one beer! And she was with someone she thought she could trust! Looking back, Casey wanted to shake some sense into herself. All of Truman's words and actions leading up to that terrible moment, with hindsight…made her skin crawl! It was like he was trying to get her alone…trap her. And then he tried to coerce her into sleeping with him! How could she have trusted him so blindly?! The memory of Truman's face when he called her a… _bitch_ …invaded her thoughts. Casey wished she could knee Truman in the groin a second time, for good measure. But, she also never wanted to see Truman… _ever_ again!

Curled up in a tight little ball, Casey cried and cried and wished she could talk to Paul. She felt foolish knowing that she still needed her high school guidance counselor...

She came up for a breath of fresh air when she heard a knock at her door. "Wh-who i-is it?" Casey hiccupped meagrely. She had no idea what time it was, only that she had been crying for a long time. It was probably just going to be Derek, telling her to shut up.

"It's mom." Nora called softly. Her mother's caring, soothing voice evoked another sobbing hiccup from Casey's throat. "Can I come in, honey?"

Casey was scared to talk to her mom about Truman. Part of her wanted to shove the whole thing under the rug, and pretend it never happened. But Casey needed some comfort, and Nora's concern pacified Casey's troubled heart ever so slightly.

"Y-yes" Casey called, just loud enough for Nora to hear.

The door slowly creaked open and Nora peeked through. At the sight of Casey's miserable appearance, she frowned compassionately.

"Oh, Casey…" Nora consoled, sitting on the bed, cradling Casey into her arms. Casey cried into her mother's sweater. "What's going on, hun? Hmm?" Nora stroked Casey's hair and rubbed her back. "You've been crying all night. Everyone is so worried. We all care about you and we wanted to make sure you're okay."

 _Not_ _everyone_ , Casey thought, impetuously.

She sat up and turned her puffy face to Nora. She sniffed and wiped her tears. Nora looked back at Casey with a sea of concern in her eyes, her hand resting encouragingly on her arm.

Casey told Nora what happened at Truman's party, sparing no detail. She recalled how Truman had ignored her. She sheepishly admitted that she had a beer. She repeated the mean things Truman said to her when she found him. She recounted how she went up to Truman's room with him to speak privately. Casey told Nora about how uncomfortable she felt…how unsafe. Nora nodded along to what Casey was saying, listening intently. Tears welled up in Nora's eyes as Casey described Truman's behavior and his intent…how he had tried to pressure things to move forward. Nora stroked Casey's arm comfortingly. Every feeling poured out of Casey as a cathartic release and she couldn't stop. She told Nora about how she escaped Truman's room—how she protected herself and kneed him in the groin. She told Nora how Truman called her a bitch, hesitating on the word and barely whispering it (she wasn't exactly comfortable swearing in front of her mom).

But some part of her held back. Casey _didn't_ tell Nora about how she fell into Derek's arms, or how he protected her. She didn't tell Nora about how she had cozied up to Derek in the cab, or how he carried her up to bed. For some reason, Casey felt like she shouldn't tell Nora about those parts.

"I ran downstairs." Casey lied. "I found Derek…and Emily and Sam, and they took me home."

Nora turned to grab the box of tissues from Casey's nightstand. Casey gratefully took one, clearing the snot and tears from herself.

"I am so sorry that happened to you." Nora sniffed. She gazed at Casey intensely, purposefully making eye contact. "I am very proud of you for getting yourself out of that situation, Casey, and for telling me about it. I know that must have been hard for you." Nora held back her tears.

Casey snuggled up to her mom for a loving hug. "Thanks mom."

"If Truman bothers you any more, let me know, okay?" Nora rubbed Casey's back. Casey nodded into her.

Casey was glad she told her mom about what happened. It lifted some of the burden from her shoulders. She still had a lot of anxiety, but at least she had worked through some of it.

Casey snuggled into her mother for a long time. Nora seemed to be nodding off a bit and she yawned. "Do you want me to stay here with you tonight?" She offered.

Casey sat up and sighed. "No. That's okay mom, thank you." She smiled, sadly. "I'm probably not done crying about it yet…" Casey rolled her eyes at herself, "But, I think I'll be okay."

"Okay honey." Nora said. "I think I'm going to go down to bed." She kissed Casey on the forehead. "Love you, sweetheart. If you need to talk more about this, I will always be here for you."

"I love you too mom." Casey smiled, as Nora stood up to leave.

Nora closed the door and Casey slumped back into the bed, sighing. Nora helped Casey work through her scary feelings about the events with Truman, but those were only _some_ of the distressing feelings she had been trying to distract herself from during the stupid prank war.

Emily was right. The prank war _was_ a distraction. She put all her focus into beating Derek and she took things way too far! She didn't stop to think about the consequences. Casey had thought her prank would ensure victory, but she just felt like a loser.

Pranking Derek was just a stupid distraction from dealing with how badly he hurt her feelings. He had always treated her like the enemy…a usurper who invaded his life. Over the years, Derek consistently showed Casey that he didn't care about her. Worse than that, 'not caring' would imply neutrality. Derek _purposefully_ tormented her. But there were times when he would drop everything and really appear to care about her feelings and well-being. Perhaps, out of some kind of— _brotherly_ —obligation.

Casey knew Derek didn't see her as a sister. She certainly didn't think of Derek as a brother. For the longest time they had just been two people forced to live together. The Venturi-McDonald unit grew to be a loving family, but Casey and Derek—would _never_ be brother and sister.

Then why did it seem like he cared sometimes? They weren't even friends. She thought he hated her! Why had he been upstairs to catch her, and hold her, and protect her? It didn't make sense!

At Truman's party, Derek acted like he cared about her and what she was going through. _He_ was the thing that made everything okay. _He_ made the impossible reality of Truman's actions bearable, because _he_ was there for her. And then he just took it away—going back to his usual of being an insufferable _jerk_! Casey could barely deal with what happened to her at the party—it was terrible and surreal. It wasn't like it all just _went away_ the next day! All the fear, the disappointment, the shock…she was still dealing with it all! When Derek went back to acting like her enemy, Casey was offended. She needed the Derek from the night before to support her through it all. When he took his support away, the only thing Casey could do to prevent the crushing reality of her feelings from consuming her, was to get back at Derek for not being there for her through it.

Casey had become obsessed with pranking Derek. She kept pushing it further and further! She acted like a complete idiot and felt totally humiliated. She had completely ignored everything else outside of the prank…acting as though her problems would just go away if she pretended they weren't real; like all the texts she received after the party…

Maybe if she had read more of the texts, she could have at least anticipated that terrible prank phone call.

* * *

" _Hello?" Casey answered, embarrassed. Everyone at the table was staring at her. She had no idea who was calling her! She wished she had just kept her phone upstairs or turned it off. She was already freaking out about the family's discovery of the missing chair. This interrupting phone call was not helping!_

 _She heard laughter on the other end, and a bunch of male voices speaking in-distinctively. Immediately Casey was confused. Why would a whole bunch of guys be calling her? She didn't really have many guy friends._

" _Well, well, well, if it isn't Casey McDonald." The cutting voice mocked. "We all saw what happened at Truman's party, Casey. We all saw how you were just stringing Truman along."_

 _Casey was at a loss for words. Is that what people were saying? That she was stringing Truman along? Were they saying she was a prude, or a tease or something?_

 _The voice laughed coldly "Everyone knows you refused to sleep with Truman because you're fucking your step-brother…and Derek Venturi doesn't share his toys."_

" _What?!" Casey shrieked. She couldn't possibly have heard that correctly! There was no way people were thinking that! A chorus of laughter erupted from the phone. "Who is this?" Casey demanded. This cruel prank call was just adding to the burden of what Casey was going through. She could feel her eyes starting to water._

" _She's not even denying it." The voice laughed, distantly. Case heard a disgusting symphony of hollering from the other voices over the phone. "So, you admit it? You're fucking Derek?"_

" _No! That's not true!" Casey's voice broke. All she could hear was the taunting laughter—she felt like she would drown in it._

 _Suddenly, her phone was yanked from her hand._

 _Derek._

 _Casey panicked, moving to grab the phone back from him, but he was already bringing it to his ear. Of course, if this was truly a rumor that was spreading, Casey worried what people would think of her. But, she was more concerned with Derek's reaction. What would he think about a rumor that they were…sleeping together!?_

* * *

Derek had stood up for Casey when he took control of the prank call. He was starting to develop a habit of standing up for her. It surprised he. She wasn't sure what he might have heard, but he seemed relatively un-phased, so there was hope that he didn't know what Corey was saying. Then again, if Corey was telling the truth—and _everyone_ believed this crazy lie, Derek was bound to find out about it…

Of course, the rumor was completely ludicrous—how could anybody _actually_ believe it? _Totally ridiculous_! There was probably nothing to worry about…

Casey felt nauseous. She couldn't believe what she was thinking. Perhaps, it _wasn't_ …ridiculous. After all, Derek was known for being a playboy who would pursue anything in a skirt! And Casey was smart enough to know that anyone who was well enough acquainted with both her and Derek would see that their… _relationship_ was…

 _Unique._

But beyond that, there was one more memory Casey had been suppressing. It was all coming out of the woodwork now. Casey thought back to the confrontation she had with Derek after he discovered her in his chair (and hockey jersey).

Casey hadn't really thought much of Derek's demand to ' _take it off'_. Obviously, he wanted his jersey back. _That_ was to be expected. Casey had responded with ' _make me'_ because she knew it got on Derek's nerves; he _hated_ when he wasn't in control. She meant it like…nothing you can do about it! Rubbing it in his face that _she_ was in control. It was only when Derek approached her that she realized that it came across like a challenge. She practically _dared_ Derek to make her take off the jersey—by taking it off of her, himself.

The unintentionally suggestive nature of her challenge shocked Casey, but what shocked her even more was that Derek seemed to be about to accept her challenge…

When Derek came close to her, they were practically pressed up against one another. He wasn't about to wrestle her for the jersey or put her in a choke hold, which would have been _one_ way to take the jersey off her. He just moved incredibly closer to her in an unexpectedly intimate way.

The warmth radiating from Derek's body was distressingly inviting, like something was pulling her, desiring to be even closer. When Derek's fingers wrapped around the hem of the jersey, Casey couldn't believe it. Was he actually going to strip it off her? Was _she_ actually going to _let_ him?

Derek grasped at the jersey, causing the space between them to become even more limited. Staring up at Derek, all of Casey's thoughts vacated her rational mind. It was like she was under some kind of _spell_. The energy swirling around her in the form of warmth from their closeness. The smell of leather, cinnamon, and cedar-wood; the smoky and earthy scent bewitched her. Was that cologne? Or just him?

Derek's grasp on the jersey tightened. He didn't lift the jersey to take it off her. Instead, it was like he was going to pull her tightly into him…and Casey wasn't about to stop him. She stared up at Derek, hypnotized by his deep brown eyes. She recognized the same softness in them as she saw once before…and something _else_. Casey felt as though their bodies were infinitesimally close to touching, and that the atomic space between them was alive. She felt like the rest of the world had vanished, and that it was only the two of them there…frozen in time.

Until the moment was interrupted, and she snapped back to reality.

But, that was just one moment, and it was private, and…it was nothing. Derek was still Derek. She was just overthinking things. Clearly the rumors (if there even _were_ rumors) weren't based on anything. It's not like she had _feelings_ for Derek or anything. And there was no _way_ Derek could ever have feelings for _her_.

 _Ridiculous_.

Casey went to the washroom to splash some cold water on her face. She looked at herself in the mirror; she looked like absolute garbage. She took her hair down and brushed it—it was a minor improvement. She was starting to feel a little better. Exhausted…but better. The crying had drained her, but even more draining was the idea of dealing with her multitude of problems. How would she even begin to tackle these issues she was struggling with? What was going to happen? The future was so uncertain. What steps could she take? What plan could she enact to put her life back on track? Despite the rough start, Casey still wanted this summer to be perfect.

Casey pulled her phone out of her pocket. She supposed she should at least know what people were saying. She surveyed some of her texts. Her worst fears were confirmed. The rumor existed, and it was out there for everyone to hear. It had clearly spread like wildfire. Casey hated the rumor-mill.

There were several 'I knew it" texts.

To Casey's embarrassment, there were a few incest jokes…

Surprisingly, most of the texts were extremely positive! There were a lot of texts of congratulations from people who apparently thought it was _great_ that she was dating Derek.

Casey shook her head. _You're NOT dating Derek_ , Casey told herself. She found it somewhat relieving though, that people thought they were dating, and not just sleeping together. Casey was certainly not a hook-up kind of girl.

Casey blushed at a few texts saying they were a cute couple.

She continued to scroll through the text messages. Her stomach dropped.

* * *

TrumanXOXO: You weren't at the mall today…


	18. Sensitivity

**Chapter 18: Sensitivity**

* * *

Derek lounged on the couch, trying to watch TV over the sound of Casey's crying. Her voice reverberated through the house. Derek would _normally_ be able to tune her out. Over the years, Derek had become well-adjusted to living with Casey and her freak-outs, and he was generally able to just ignore her and wait for it to be over. But this time, Casey's pained noises from upstairs monopolized Derek's attention. _Why_ it bothered him so much, Derek had no idea…Casey cried all the time! Casey would cry over trivial things, like her 157th break up with Sam, or getting a B on a history test. _Hell_ , Casey even cried when she was happy, like when she would watch a sappy scene in a romantic comedy or when she saw a puppy. Casey was _sensitive_. Derek, on the other hand…hated sensitivity, and the vulnerability associated with it. He _never_ cried, and he did his best to avoid people when they turned on the waterworks. Derek didn't _do_ tears.

"This sounds really bad." Lizzie fretted from the dining room table. She was trying to read a book, but she _obviously_ couldn't concentrate, given the volume of Casey's exhalations. Casey's wails had a muffled quality, as though stifled by a pillow, and Derek felt like they were deafening—they were all he could think about.

"Just Casey being Casey." Derek shrugged, turning up the volume on the TV, trying to put his mind on something else.

Lizzie put her book down. "Someone should go talk to her." She asserted over the volume.

Although he wouldn't admit it to Lizzie…. Derek recognized the difference between _this_ and one of Casey's run-of-the-mill sob-fests. He couldn't quite explain why it was different, there was just a heavy feeling. Almost like he wanted to go upstairs and help Casey feel better—if only to make the noise stop… Thinking back to how stressed Casey seemed for the past 24 hours…and about what happened the night before, Derek could admit that Casey was probably going through a lot. Perhaps, for once, Casey wasn't just being dramatic. But Casey had seemed stressed all day—and she wasn't crying about it before! Derek didn't understand what triggered Casey's meltdown. She had burst into tears about something he had said…did _he_ make her cry? It wouldn't be the first time…

"Well it's not going to be me!" Derek jeered, defensively.

"Obviously." Lizzie stated. "If history is repeating itself, then it's probably your _fault_." Lizzie quipped indignantly. It seemed out of character for Lizzie to be so frankly critical of him.

Derek shrugged, weakly, trying to focus on the TV. He knew he had a habit of making Casey cry. When he first met her, he went out of his way to do it. As time went on, he would start to regret making Casey cry because he would have to deal with the Casey aftermath. But this time, Derek felt really—bad about it. And he didn't even know why! He didn't even say anything mean or out-of-line this time, he had no _idea_ why Casey was breaking down!

 _Why should I feel bad?_ Derek wondered. _It's not like I did anything!_

George and Nora shuffled into the living room, tired and worn-out. "Well, we finally got Marti set up in our room." George announced. "She probably won't sleep a wink—she's too worried about Casey."

"This does sounds pretty serious." Nora bit her lip, worryingly.

"Mom's right." Lizzie said, standing up from the table, "Casey has different types of cries depending on the context. I've never heard her cry like _this_ before!"

Suddenly, Edwin rushed downstairs, with pillows duct-taped around his head. "We need to do something about this!" He shouted, pointing up to Casey's room.

"I'll go talk to her." Nora sighed, heading upstairs.

Derek knew this was serious too. There was some hidden feeling imbedded in Casey's sobs that made him feel sick to his stomach. Maybe this was all about Truman and what happened at the party. It seemed like the most obvious thing for Casey to be upset about. But, Casey hadn't been bothered by that all day! Normally, after a break up, Casey would sulk around the house and read bad poetry and cry into a bowl of ice cream, but she had just spent all day pranking him! She hadn't seemed upset about it at all. She just seemed stressed and obsessed with the prank war. Derek worried that perhaps it _was_ his fault—that _he_ triggered Casey's meltdown.

Derek tried to remember what he said to Casey, but he couldn't think of the exact words he used. He had just been ticked off that Casey was trying to act all innocent about her prank. She had acted like he had corrupted her or something, when they _both_ knew she could be just as competitive and cunning as him. Was Casey really this upset about getting in trouble? Derek knew that couldn't be it. What was it about what he said that tipped her over the edge? He hadn't said anything worthy of a complete meltdown; he had said _much_ worse to Casey in the past.

After a while of trying (and failing) to watch TV, Derek went up to his room. He paused before going in. Was he going crazy, or had the crying stopped? How long had it been this quiet? As if on cue, Nora came out of Casey's room. She caught Derek staring at Casey's door.

"She's doing a little better." Nora whispered, answering the question she saw in Derek's eyes. He averted his gaze.

"Yeah, well…good news for the rest of the house." Derek mumbled, heading into his room.

His mind kept racing, wondering what might have caused Casey's tail-spin. It couldn't be his fault…this time. But Derek had a bad feeling that he just couldn't shake. Casey's sobs still rang in his ears even though her room was silent, aside from some light sniffling. The only other possible trigger would be the prank phone call. But it was just a prank…right? Why get so upset about it, if it's just some immature idiots looking for a laugh? Derek thought back to what he heard Plunkett saying on the phone.

" _It is true! Everyone's talking about it"_

Something didn't sit right with Derek about the way Plunkett said that.

 _What's true?_ Derek wondered. Whatever it was, it really freaked Casey out. And since when did everyone talk about Casey? Was there some kind of rumor going around about her? That's sure what it seemed like. Why would anybody start a rumor about Casey? What was even _more_ unorthodox was how Plunkett responded to him. It's _one_ thing to prank call Casey, but _no one_ prank calls _Derek_ , especially not a wannabe like Plunkett. Plunkett should have backed down immediately when Derek stepped in, but it only seemed to goad him on. Why was Plunkett so quick and willing to disrespect him? A nagging suspense covered Derek in a chill.

Derek needed to figure out what was going on…He went into the hallway to use the landline. He frustratingly unraveled the cord on the phone and called Sam.

"Sup?" Sam answered, recognizing the McDonald-Venturi caller ID. He sounded half-asleep.

"Dude, you asleep already? It's summer."

Sam cleared his throat. "Just nodding off. What's…up, man?" He seemed to have a strange, evasive tone to his voice.

Derek wasn't sure how to bring up the issue…it would be weird to ask Sam about Casey. "Nothing. Just…wondering what's new I guess." He rubbed the back of his neck, awkwardly. How the hell was he supposed to ask Sam if there was a rumor going around about Casey?

"What's new?" Sam asked, with a disbelieving chuckle. "Dude. I've been texting you all day!"

"I left my stupid charger at Emily's." Derek mumbled. "We broke up this morning. I didn't get your texts, what's going on?"

"Oh!" Sam said, as though realizing something important. "Oh…" He said, very seriously. "So, you haven't like…talked to _anyone_ today?"

"No…" Derek said, suspiciously. "Why?"

Derek could hear Sam hesitating, struggling to come up with an answer. Sam mumbled something unintelligible.

" _Why_ , Sam?" Derek demanded, impatiently

Sam sighed "Just…charge your phone, man." He advised.

"I only had the one charger." Derek answered. "Tell me what's going on!" Why was Sam keeping something from him?

 _What the hell is going on?_

"Just borrow Casey's charger or something!" Sam said, desperately.

"I can't! Casey is…." Derek looked at Casey's door and groaned. He flung his hand up to his forehead in disbelief. "Sam! If something is going on, you _need_ to tell me."

Sam sighed. "Okay, okay. There might be a…rumor."

Derek waited, but Sam was silent. "A rumor…" Derek urged Sam to continue.

"That Casey…" Sam trailed off.

"That Casey, _what_?" Derek pushed.

Sam took a deep breath. "That Casey and…Casey and…You…Y—you know what?" Sam laughed "I can't tell you, D. I just can't."

"No, no, no, no, no!" Derek tried, as Sam went to hang up, "Sam!" It was too late.

Derek needed to charge his damn phone, so he could figure out what the hell was going on. He walked over to Casey's room and hesitated. He could already imagine what Casey would say if he went in looking for her charger. She would just guilt him…

" _Seriously, Derek? I've been up here crying all night, and you come into my room because you want to steal my phone charger?"_

Derek groaned and turned around. He couldn't go in there. What if Casey started crying all over again? Derek went back to his room. He listened to his iPod, hoping to take his mind off things. Whatever the rumor was, it was Casey's problem. He would have to get his charger from Emily tomorrow.

Over the music, Derek thought he heard something…or was his mind playing tricks on him?

 _Oh no_.

Casey was crying again. This time it sounded like she had been stabbed in the gut or something. God! Will it ever end? Derek couldn't believe that Casey could cry so much. Wouldn't her body run out of tears eventually?

He couldn't listen to Casey any longer, but he certainly didn't want to go in and _talk_ to her. Derek shuddered at the thought. But if he could stop her from crying, at least he could get some sleep. It was getting late—even for Derek.

He went downstairs to fetch Casey a glass of water. He figured it was more practical than sentimental and that it would be enough to help her. After all, she was probably dehydrated from all the crying. As Derek filled the glass, he realized that Casey hadn't really eaten anything all day. He had stolen her granola bar, and she left her Chinese food relatively untouched. Derek shut off the tap and grabbed a banana off the counter as an afterthought.

As Derek walked up the stairs, with water and banana in hand, he started to feel anxious. He mentally kicked himself for doing something nice for Casey… _again!_ Casey always seemed like she was trying to find the hidden goodness in him. Most people already thought he was awesome, because he laid on the charm incredibly thick. But Casey wanted to look deep inside him to find some genuine quality that he just wasn't sure he had. And if he did, he didn't want her analyzing it. It was like she was looking for any little nugget of warmth in him so that she could hold it over him. Casey was on a constant mission to make him feel vulnerable. So why did he even bother in the first place? Why not just be mean and show her that there wasn't any good inside of him for her to scrutinize?

Before Derek could answer his own questions, he was at the bathroom door, where he could hear Casey's pained gasps emanating from.

 _Just go in, give her the stuff, and get out._ Derek told himself, he didn't want to stick around for any sort of conversation about f-f-feelings. He shoved the banana under his arm and grabbed the doorknob, taking a deep breath.


	19. Derek Venturi: Banana Man

**Chapter 19: Derek Venturi: Banana Man**

* * *

The entire world came crashing down on top of Casey as she read the ominous text from Truman. Crying erupted from her once more, like an unstoppable destructive force. She fell to the floor, bracing herself up against the cold porcelain of the bathtub. Nothing felt real, except for the burning tears rolling down her cheeks. Casey felt as though she were living in a nightmare, wherein the world no longer made sense. She wished that she could wake up from it or travel back in time to somehow prevent the terrible sequence of events she had experienced. The recognition that she was currently _stuck_ in this terrible moment—that it wasn't some awful, distant memory, and was happening _now_ was surreal. Life had been so good before! The summer of her life had been planned out and was just starting! She went from looking forward to her promising, exciting future…to feeling terrified and confused about everything. Casey was at a _loss_ for why on earth Truman would still expect to meet up with her at the mall! _Clearly_ , their relationship was _over_ _!_ Was that not made clear _enough_ by the events that transpired at the party? Hence—no mall date!

Casey shook her head and took in a few faulty deep breaths. She was normally mature…and insightful. So why couldn't she tell which way was up anymore?

Casey was mid-sob when she was shocked into silence by the sound of the doorknob turning. Her heart jumped into her throat. She quickly wiped away the tears from her face and tried to compose herself to avoid the embarrassment of being interrupted by someone who was probably there to use the bathroom.

Casey looked up at the door as it slowly creaked open. She was surprised to see _Derek_ peering through. Most surprising, was that Derek didn't seem annoyed, he seemed _nervous_.

He nudged the door the rest of the way open with his hip, grabbing something out of the crook of his arm. Casey stared in silent astonishment as Derek held out a glass of water in one hand, and a banana in the other, his gaze firmly fixated to the bathroom floor. Casey's eyes darted between the two humble offerings. The universe continued to disobey the laws of nature, clearly. Derek's seemingly kind gesture was just _another_ thing that made absolutely no sense! Maybe she was hallucinating or something…

Derek's gaze lifted from the floor and found Casey's darting eyes, attracting them like a magnet. They held each other's attention for a moment and Derek mumbled "You look terrible."

Casey laughed shortly. It was a stereotypically _Derek_ thing to say—stereotypically avoidant and insulting. But there was a hint of playfulness to his tone that took Casey's guard down slightly. She shrugged and rested her elbows on her knees as she sniffed and wiped away more of her tears.

Derek took a few hesitant steps forward and sighed, sitting down next to her, close enough that their shoulders were touching. Casey looked over at him, confused. Derek didn't _do_ tears—yet he seemed to be here to…

Casey wasn't sure _why_ Derek was here.

She stared at him in anticipation, unsure of what to think about his surprise visit. Derek stared back expectantly, as if he was waiting for her to do something. Casey was incredibly aware of Derek's shoulder touching her own, she could feel every soft fiber of his shirt rubbing against her skin. Derek's shoulder shifted against her. He brought his arm in front of her, offering the glass of water; his forearm brushing over hers lightly. Casey gawked at the glass obtusely, her mind still unable to adjust to the situation. Her eyes shot back up to Derek as he cleared his throat.

"Come on, Case." He said softly—smooth like honey, but with the usual playful throatiness that accompanied his teasing, "After using up that many tears, you should need, like…five of these." He raised his eyebrows at her.

Casey stared at him, unable to move. The reality was finally setting in that Derek was _actually_ there to offer her a glass of water mid-cry; he was even sitting next to her and encouraging her to hydrate! It was just so uncharacteristically… _sweet_.

Derek's left eyebrow arced even higher, questioning her inaction. "I brought it _all_ the way up here…" He guilted her, jokingly.

Casey rolled her eyes and snatched the cup from Derek, their fingers contacting briefly in the process. " _Wow_!" She teased lightly, a smile spreading across her face, " _All_ the way up here, huh?"

Derek smirked warmly at the back-and-forth, he was doing a surprisingly fantastic job at making her feel better. Casey felt a small weight lifting from her chest as she brought the cup to her lips.

The cold water was incredibly inviting. Casey hadn't realized until it touched her tongue, just how _much_ she needed it. She quickly downed the whole thing. She expected a teasing remark from Derek to come shortly after about how fast she had guzzled it; instead, she peered down to see him holding the banana out for her.

She looked at the banana with apprehension. She had been so upset, that her stomach felt as though it were crumpled into a tight, tiny ball. She had long surpassed hungry and the banana presented itself like an impossible challenge.

Derek gave the banana a little wiggle, indicating that he wouldn't hold it up forever. Casey sighed, she knew she should eat something. She grabbed the banana, reluctantly. She peeled it slightly and pinched off a piece to eat. The second she swallowed the first bite, she was eager for more. She continued picking off small pieces.

Derek laughed. "You eat like a bird."

Casey scoffed, nudging Derek playfully with her shoulder. "Better than a pig," She bantered, casting him a teasing glare.

They locked eyes and time slowed to a crawl as Casey's smirk slowly faded, staring into Derek's deep, searching gaze. Her head started to swim, as though she were once again falling under a spell. She wanted to question the feeling, but every train of thought drifted away.

Derek cleared his throat, breaking their trance. "So, are you…okay?" He asked. Casey wasn't sure.

She dropped her hands into her lap and pouted at them, furrowing her eyebrows. She shrugged, tossing the banana peel into the nearby waste bin.

"Is this about…the party?" Derek prompted, carefully.

"Yeah." Casey sighed. "It's about a lot of things." It was strange (a good strange), that Derek seemed to actually _care_ about why she was so upset.

Derek sucked in his lips, as though he were hesitant to say something. "Like the rumor?"

Casey's head snapped up and she looked over at Derek, her eyes wide and her mouth agape. She could feel the blush quickly saturating her face. She turned away quickly, to hide.

 _Oh no! What does Derek know about the rumor?!_

"Wh-what rumor?" She stammered, playing dumb.

Derek saw straight through her feeble attempt to feign ignorance. "Casey." He said, flatly. "Come on. It can't be _that_ bad!" Casey suspected that he wouldn't feel that way if he knew what it was about. "I'll find out eventually. Just tell me."

How was she supposed to tell him that the rumor was that they were _sleeping_ together?! There was no _way_ she would even be able to get the words out! But Derek had a point…he _was_ going to find out eventually. She had to tell him before he found out in a worse way.

Casey opened her mouth to speak but the words caught in her throat. "I—I can't" She choked out. Even though Casey knew that she should tell him, she would never be able to say it out loud. "Just…" She sighed, "Here." She held out her phone to him. "See for yourself."


	20. The Cell of Secrets

**Chapter 20: The Cell of Secrets**

* * *

Casey's fingers were gripped tightly around the phone as Derek pried it from her, seeming as though she didn't want him to take it after all. The second the phone was in Derek's possession, Casey hid her face in her knees, wrapping her arms around herself like a protective barrier.

Derek stared at the phone in his hands and back at her. He surprised himself by asking, "Are you _sure_ you want me to look at this?" He was used to snooping into Casey's business whenever he felt like it, but he felt strange doing it with her permission for some reason, as though he were being invited into some intimate place.

She shook her head in her knees but muttered a muffled, "Yes."

 _Okaaaay_ , he thought, as he flipped open the phone to discover the secrets within. For a brief second, he wondered what he should be looking for, but the thought left quickly when Derek saw the screen.

 _Messages: 207_

He went through the texts, starting from the top.

.

* * *

?: You go girl!

* * *

.

The positive message was perplexing. The mystery rumor had been built up in Derek's mind to be a terrible, horrible thing. Casey was still hidden deeply within her knees. He raised an eyebrow and moved on to the next text, hoping it could provide more answers.

.

* * *

?: OMG Casey, u and Derek are like the new Cher & Josh! -heart-

* * *

.

Derek wasn't sure who the hell Cher and Josh were, but his pulse quickened at the mention of his name in relation to Casey's. Somehow, he was _involved_ in this rumor. He swiftly moved on to the next message.

.

* * *

?: I'm not going to say I didn't see it coming, but I am going to say that I am thoroughly grossed out!

* * *

.

Derek didn't know _what_ to think. The messages all seemed very vague. Even though this one was negative, he still had no idea what the rumor was _about_. He didn't need to know people's _feelings_ about the rumor, he needed to know what the rumor _was_!

And that's when he saw it…

.

* * *

?: If Derek was MY step-brother…I would be fucking him too.

* * *

.

"Oh, fuck." Derek said involuntarily.

Casey made a sound somewhere between a groan and a whimper.

The gears in Derek's head stopped turning as he read the message again. He stared at each individual word, trying to absorb their meaning. Reading through it, over and over, it took Derek six times to really accept that he wasn't reading it wrong. Part of him still refused to believe that there was _actually_ a rumor going around that him and Casey were…

Derek moved on to the next message, he could see Casey peering up at him from the corner of his eye. He popped his mouth closed, realizing his jaw had been dropped. He strenuously put on his best poker face and continued reading.

.

* * *

Emily: Ok, what is going on? Im worried about you, please call me.

* * *

?: I knew it! I called it like…2 years ago! have u guys been doin it this whole time?

* * *

Max: ...Seriously?

* * *

?: Incest isnt cute Klutzilla

* * *

.

Derek scoffed. It's not like they were genetically related! Not that it mattered anyway, since they _weren't_ sleeping together! Casey's eyes bore into his side, gauging his reaction. Derek wasn't really _sure_ how he felt about the rumor, other than it was absolutely crazy. Why would anyone jump to that conclusion? What did the one person mean when they said they called it? Who would _ever_ see _that_ coming?

Derek felt a rising tension within him, thinking back to all the…thoughts he had been having about Casey lately. But it's not like anyone could read his mind! So where did this come from? Derek kept looking through the messages…

.

* * *

Kendra: It cant believe I didnt see this coming! But tbh it all makes sense now! U and Der were always so obsessed with each other LOL! I need deets ASAP! Im actually so glad u 2 are dating, u guys make such a cute couple! -heart-

* * *

.

Derek shook his head. Now he and Casey were _dating_? And they made a cute couple?

He risked a glance at Casey, who was sitting upright and staring at him, wide-eyed. He instantly felt the heat of their closeness—Casey's knee touching his own. He stared into her blue eyes, full of alarm. They both looked down, realizing their proximity, and jerked away from one another awkwardly.

Derek wasn't sure of what to say. How on _earth_ were they supposed to acknowledge this to one another? He felt a nervous sweat building on his forehead and he wiped it away, trying to calm his rapid heartbeat pounding in his ears. He laughed, humorlessly

"Derek?" Casey whispered, nearly inaudible.

He couldn't look at her—what was he supposed to do? This wasn't something he could just laugh off or ignore. Derek did the only thing he _could_ do, which was read more messages.

The pounding in Derek's ears turned to ringing as he read the next text.

.

* * *

TrumanXOXO: You weren't at the mall today...

* * *

.

Everything went red.


	21. Whiplash

**Chapter 21: Whiplash**

* * *

Casey watched Derek's face transform as he read the texts. She tried to calculate the meaning of every twitch of his facial muscles. As soon as Derek noticed Casey watching, his expression morphed into a stoic frown. She nearly jumped out of her skin every time the corner of his mouth quivered. Derek looked over at Casey, and down at the space—or lack of space—between them. They pulled away; they were sitting a little too close for comfort considering the nature of the rumor…

Derek laughed, but it didn't bring Casey any consolation, as she could tell that his laughter was nervous, and without amusement. She wished that she could read his mind.

"Derek?' She whispered, hoping he might voice his thoughts. He ignored her, his eyes glued to the phone screen.

Suddenly, Derek's face twisted into an angry scowl. "What the hell is this?!" He demanded, his distressed eyes locking with hers. Casey's rapid heartbeat thumped harshly. She felt as though her whole body was flooding with a mortified blush as Derek eyed her, accusingly.

"Oh, God! I know! It's—it's…" Casey hid her face in her hands. "I'm sorry!" She cried, though she wasn't exactly sure what she was sorry about. After all, _she_ hadn't started the stupid rumor! What was Derek mad at _her_ _for_?

"You're sorry?!" Derek asked in disbelief.

Casey looked up at him. She had never seen Derek so angry before—except for maybe at Truman's party. She was too stunned to say anything. A small part of her was offended. The idea of sleeping with her couldn't _possibly_ be _t_ _hat_ repulsive! She wasn't some hideous freak or anything! Even though she was Derek's step-sister, she certainly wasn't his _ugly_ step-sister. Though, perhaps Derek saw her that way…

"It's _him_ who should be sorry!" Derek said furiously. " _You_ have _nothing_ to apologize for!"

Casey gaped up at Derek. She wasn't sure what they were talking about anymore.

"Wh—what?" She sputtered quietly.

Derek waved the phone around. "Truman texted you." He said, the creep's name flying out of his lips like a poison-dart. Casey rapidly looked between Derek and the phone, and then she dropped her eyes to the floor.

"Oh." She said, trying to keep her voice steady. She had almost forgotten about Truman's text; about how he somehow thought they were still a couple after he tried to sexually assault her. It was a massive thing to forget about, even for a moment, but Casey had been so focused on Derek's reaction to the rumor, that her Truman troubles were the last thing on her mind. "Right. That."

"Right." Derek huffed, "That."

Was she going crazy, or had Derek just surpassed the whole 'step-cest' rumor, entirely? Did it not bother him? Casey blinked up at him. Even though Truman's text was a big deal to _her_ , she wasn't sure why it would be a big deal to _Derek_. His concern for her had died out! Why would he start caring again out of the blue? Casey was frustrated. She couldn't understand how his mind worked. How did Derek decide when to care about things…about her? His criteria seemed completely random.

"Why didn't you _tell_ me that this _rat_ was still talking to you?" Derek interrogated. Casey's head snapped up and she narrowed her eyes at Derek. She didn't appreciate his accusatory tone. What did he expect?

"Tell _you_?! It's not like you'd care! The first thing you did when you saw me today was steal my granola bar! You're not exactly Mr. Supportive."

"You don't think I care?" Derek scoffed. Casey rolled her eyes at his ironic statement; Derek was the _king_ of not-caring…at least, he acted as such. "What about everything I did last night? You call _that_ not caring? I was a second away from beating the crap out of that asshole!"

 _And he held her in the cab, and comforted her, and carried her to bed…_

Casey snatched her phone out of Derek's hands. "Yeah." She said, "And then you pretended like it never happened!"

Derek stared at her, speechless. His red face slowly paled.

Casey's lip trembled. "Maybe you did care." She admitted. "But it didn't last very long…" She turned her back to Derek, sitting crossed legged. "You _did_ say I shouldn't expect you to start being nice to me." She tried to stare a hole into the wall. "So, you can go back to hating me…like normal!"

The whiplash was exhausting. Casey didn't want to expect compassion from Derek and constantly get let down. But when she expected cold-ness from him, he would offer some teasing sentiment of warmth! It was so infuriating! Casey wished she knew where they stood—especially now, considering the rumor…

Maybe it would be easier if they just hated each other.

"Case." Derek said softly.

Casey sighed, her eyes fixated on the wall. She could hear Derek shuffling closer, and the hairs on the back of her neck prickled up. He put his hand on her shoulder, lightly. Goosebumps spread down her arm.

"I…don't hate you." Derek whispered. He tugged at her gently and she turned around. Their faces were closer than expected. Casey couldn't bring herself to look into his eyes.

Staring at Derek's lips, Casey asked a question that had been hiding in the back of her mind all day long. "Why were you upstairs? At the party…" Casey noticed Derek's expression tighten. She could sense him pulling away. "Were you…" Casey continued, grabbing his arm to keep him close, needing an honest moment from him. "Were you looking for me?" Her eyes moved up to find Derek's, but his gaze was fixated on her mouth. Casey bit her bottom lip nervously, and Derek's eyes flickered up, meeting hers. They stared at each other for a while and Casey wasn't sure if Derek would answer her question. She felt his arm muscles relax and he finally answered her.

"I saw Truman leading you upstairs." Derek admitted. Casey struggled to wrap her head around what he was saying. It didn't explain why he had been right outside the door. "I…had a bad feeling." He mumbled, looking down. "So, I followed you."

Casey was shocked by Derek's honesty. She could feel the weight of his confession. It was vulnerable, and it wasn't something Derek could easily admit to her—so it had to be true.

 _But, that would mean…_

Maybe Derek _did_ care about her after all.

Casey fell forwards, crashing into Derek's chest for a tight embrace. He seemed surprised and hesitant for a moment, but his arms slowly wrapped around her, accepting the hug. Casey realized that she had hugged Derek more in the last two days than in the entire time she had known him—and he was letting her! Casey's heart raced anxiously as she thought back to all the physical proximity they had shared over the last little while, and the intensity of those experiences. Even though the feeling sent shivers of nervousness down Casey's spine, she couldn't bring herself to let go of Derek. He was just so warm, and solid. He was so…

 _Derek._


	22. Dreams Part 1

**Chapter 22: Dreams: Part 1**

* * *

Lying in bed, Derek stared up at his ceiling. It was the same ceiling he had looked at for his entire life, falling asleep to it every night and waking to it every morning. But it looked strangely unrecognizable now. Derek would often relax like this, maybe listening to music, thinking about whatever—hot girls, usually. But something felt different tonight, and he felt _anything_ but relaxed.

He looked over at his clock: _4:32am_

He was exhausted. But his mind was running in circles—there was no way he was going to be able to sleep. The more Derek tried to avoid thinking about things, the more his thoughts banged around the inside of his skull. Derek sighed, rubbing his chest. There was a phantom weight pressed against him—the memory of Casey's embrace. He slipped his hand under his shirt and tried to brush the sensation away, but it tenaciously remained.

Derek couldn't stop thinking about his encounter with Casey in the bathroom. It was a much more vulnerable moment than he had initially prepared himself for.

 _'Go in, give her the stuff, and get out,' my ass!_

He didn't know what it _was_ about Casey that constantly stripped him so bare, so raw—when all he wanted to do was ignore those deep parts of himself. Those deep, emotional things made life too serious, and they just complicated things.

And _Casey_ was a prime example of complicated.

When it came to Casey, Derek couldn't help himself. He just…cared. It was totally against his whole philosophy to let himself care about _anything_ , but when it came to Casey, Derek cared nonetheless. He tried his best to keep it hidden, but despite himself, he would occasionally let Casey catch a glimpse. But then, things would go back to normal, and balance would be restored to the universe. Of course, Derek would pretend those caring moments never happened, and he would compensate by pestering Casey. He was much more comfortable pranking her then comforting her. If she somehow got it in her head that he cared, she would start to expect consistency from him…and he would just end up disappointing her. It was easier when people expected you to be a screw-up. That way, when you inevitably _do_ screw-up, you don't let anybody down.

It was easier to fight with Casey. They had a comfortable rhythm. It was consistent. They were _Casey and Derek_ , there was no changing that. Their whole dynamic was already established.

But sometimes, he took it too far. Casey thought he hated her! That was far from the truth. Derek thought their fights were fun. Sure, there were occasionally some bad ones, but for the most part they were entertaining.

When they had first met, they didn't get along at all. Back then, they were just two vastly different people, who both hated the idea of having someone barge into their life and change everything. But they were completely in each other's lives now, and everything was different. Everything was good. They were just used to their patterns now. They were used to the bantering. Derek _liked_ the bantering. He liked the bets, and the pranking, and the teasing. Some of the best parts of his day were when Casey would get all up in his face and challenge him. He loved how she tore up his name: Der-ek! Sure, he got on Casey's nerves (a lot), but he had always thought Casey secretly loved the game too. It was their thing. He may have acted like she was a bug on a windshield at times, but that was just a part of it. That was how they were expected to act together—it was their comfort zone.

Derek didn't hate Casey, and he hoped she was exaggerating about thinking he felt that way. Maybe he should have backed off recently, considering what Casey went through at the party. Maybe he should have gone easier on her. But Casey had been escalating things, and he had just been playing along. He thought she _wanted_ to play their little game. Derek suspected that their challenging back-and-forth made her life more exciting; made her feel more alive. He didn't want to hurt Casey or make her cry. He just wanted to play the game, because he was good at the game! He wasn't so good with the more vulnerable, sappy stuff. He didn't want Casey to feel _hated_. But it's not like he could change everything about their rapport and start being nice to her all the time. That could be dangerous.

Now, more than ever, Casey needed the compassionate side of Derek to come out. But, now more than ever, Derek felt the need to hide that part of himself from her. He had let it come out tonight—and he was already dealing with the…emotional consequences.

When Casey had wrapped herself around Derek, burying her head into his chest, he felt a wave of warmth sweep over him. His arms wrapped around her, seeking to hold her tighter. He had the strongest urge to run his fingers through her hair. His every thought pressured him to push her away, or cut the tension with a joke, because it scared him how much he enjoyed her intimacy. But his body disobeyed him, and in the face of all reason, Derek's hand traveled up Casey's back and his fingers slid into her hair. He held her closely for what felt like a long time, securing her head to his chest. Derek could have stayed like that forever. Instinctively, his fingers had started to gently massage Casey's scalp as he ran his fingers through her hair.

Casey let out a small contented sigh, and then stiffened slightly, pulling away from Derek's hold on her. She blinked up at him. Her face had been so close to his, angled up at him in a curious way—her lips parted. He wanted to kiss her. Every fiber of him was being pulled towards her, but he couldn't move. He was frozen, staring at her lips. The only instinct stronger than the one telling him to kiss her…was the one telling him that there would be no coming back from it.

 _Why do I keep wanting to kiss her? What the hell is wrong with me?!_

Derek sighed. It felt like, in that moment, Casey wanted to kiss him too—as crazy as that would be. But Casey had pulled away, suddenly, as though being doused with ice-cold water.

"I-I should probably…" She stammered quickly, removing herself from Derek and standing up off the bathroom floor "Go to…bed."

Derek stood up as well. "Right, right. Uh…me too."

They both stood there, awkwardly, looking at each other. Derek gestured to the door and Casey nodded, giving him a polite smile as she walked past him. He followed her out the door and they both made their way to their respective rooms.

They each hesitated at their bedroom doors. Casey turned to him. "So, does this mean the war is over?"

"Sure, Case" Derek laughed, lightly. "On one condition," He said playfully, sauntering over to her.

"And what would that be?" Casey asked, suspiciously watching him approach.

"I want my chair back." He smirked down at her.

Casey smirked back up at him. "And what about my university planning sheets?"

"Come on, Keener." Derek cocked his head at her, "We _both_ know you'd _much_ rather re-write them." Not to mention he had thrown them out somewhere…

Casey reflected for a moment. "True." She extended her hand in the limited space between them. "Truce?" She proposed.

Derek examined Casey's hand and looked back up at her hesitantly. Her expression changed from anticipation to disappointment, but before her face could fall completely, Derek swallowed his pride and took her hand in his.

"Truce" He said, shaking her hand briskly. The corner of Casey's mouth curled up and her eyes brightened. Neither of them let go. They both looked down at their contact, Casey's eyes widened.

"Well, goodnight!" She yelped, pulling her hand away. In one fluid motion, she turned around, opened the door, twirled inside, and shut the door in Derek face.

Now, as Derek lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. He knew he was in big trouble. Whatever he was feeling for Casey had to stay hidden. Which meant he couldn't risk being _too_ nice to her. No more grand, protective gestures. But Casey also made it clear that they couldn't pretend like those grand gestures never happened. But what about almost kissing her? Derek really wished he could pretend _that_ never happened…

Finally, Derek drifted to sleep, thinking of Casey's lips.

* * *

 _Derek was surrounded by darkness. In the distance, he could spot Casey, illuminated. She waved at him, smiling sweetly. She was wearing a flowing, white gown, which clung to her curves in all the right ways. The loose ribbon-like strands of fabric floated through the air, swirling around her._

 _An ethereal humming sound filled the air, and Casey swayed her hips. She beckoned Derek to come closer, curling her finger in a 'come-hither' gesture. He made his way forward at an excruciatingly slow pace. When he finally reached her, Casey became stiff as a board, with her head turned away from him._

 _"Casey?" Derek prompted, his voice sounding strange and otherworldly. He walked around her, so that he could see her face. Her head snapped away from him once more. "Case." Derek said, following her. Any time he would get in front of her gaze, she would look away from him._

 _Suddenly, Casey's body came alive. A swelling symphony burst through the heavens and light poured through. The world was white as a blank canvas, and Casey danced through it in beautifully smooth movements, leaving trails of bright colors behind her in elegant brush strokes._ _Casey twirled around him. He tried to watch her, but she was too fast—it was starting to make him dizzy. When he stopped moving, he tried to make the world stand still again, but he couldn't regain his balance. He looked up to see multiple spinning visions of Casey locked in Truman's arms. A sly smirk played on Truman's lips…mocking him._

 _A crowd of people engulfed the world. Even above Derek's head, and below his feet, there were onlookers; completely faceless except for their beady little eyes. Derek couldn't focus on them. He could only focus on Casey. Truman flung her around like a rag-doll. Her movements were still beautiful, but they were completely controlled by Truman. Truman would swing Casey away from him and she would reach out for Derek, and then he would swing her back, slamming her against him._

 _Derek pressed forward, his heart pounding. Everything was still spinning a little. Just as he reached the pair, Truman dipped Casey and let her fall, as he vanished in a plume of dark smoke._

 _Derek caught her before she could hit the ground, pulling her up, his arm cradling the small of her back. He stood them up, and pressed Casey into him closely, as the world finally stopped moving around them. Casey's big blue eyes connected with him, looking right into the deepest parts of him. Her breathing became more rapid, her chest rising and falling._

 _He couldn't stop himself as their parted lips slowly came to meet. Just as they were about to kiss, Casey disappeared from his arms. Derek stumbled, surprised by the empty space she left behind. The world fell back to darkness._

 _"Der-ek!" Casey's voice shouted, angrily from the void._


	23. Dreams Part 2

**Chapter 23: Dreams: Part 2**

* * *

Casey fell back against her bedroom door. She listened intently and heard Derek go into his room. She let out the breath that she didn't know she had been holding. Her mind was buzzing incoherently; a noise akin to how she would imagine a string of exclamation points to sound:

 _!.!.!.!.!._ _!.!.!.!.!._ _!.!.!.!.!._ _!.!.!.!.!._ _!.!.!.!.!._ _!.!.!.!.!._ _!.!.!.!.!._ _!.!.!.!.!._ _!.!.!.!.!._ _!.!.!.!.!._ _!.!.!.!.!._ _!.!.!.!.!._ _!.!.!.!.!._ _!.!.!.!.!._ _!.!.!.!.!._ _!.!.!.!.!._ _!.!.!.!.!._

The room was in absolute disarray. Casey's disheveled, tear-soaked bed did not look inviting to her in the slightest. Her messy desk was a cruel reminder…all her detailed plans were strewn across the floor like her currently messed-up life. It was even more insulting that all her plans were now obsolete. Her life wasn't going the way she expected anymore, and she didn't know how to adapt. She couldn't plan for a life that she could no longer control! And it was all _Derek's_ fault for being in her life in the first place. His chair—staged in the center of the room, surrounded by a pile of cereal, was a reminder of whatever was going on with _him_.

Casey sighed, pulling herself from the door. She had no clue what was going on between her and Derek, and she was scared to even think about it. She couldn't even name her own feelings. Casey made her way to Derek's chair, a tableau with deeper meaning; some nameless emotion.

Casey carefully sat down, reclining. She brushed away some stray cereal from beneath her and curled up comfortably. She slipped her hand behind her neck, feeling the place where Derek's fingers had massaged through her hair.

She couldn't hold back the smile forming on her lips. Derek had confessed to caring! He didn't hate her. Not only that, but Casey _felt_ how much Derek cared through his touch. The way he reciprocated her hug and the way his fingers sent tingles down her spine was so comforting. Derek hadn't given up on supporting her, after all! His compassion wasn't just a fluke. Casey was in a heated debate with herself on which Derek was the real Derek. Perhaps there was hope that his casual distaste for her was just an act.

Casey had been shocked to feel a sigh escape her lips as Derek caressed her. Her stomach fluttered nervously. She had never felt so comfortable in someone's arms before. Maybe there was a _reason_ she and Derek never hugged. Now that Casey had a taste for it, she wanted more…and that was _wrong_. What did she want from him anyway? Of course, Casey wanted Derek to _care_ about her, but as what? She didn't want to be his _sister_. As soon as Casey realized how much she enjoyed Derek's embrace, she pulled away from him.

She stared up at him in shock. This boy. This cocky, mischievous, confusing, complicated boy…cared about her. And she cared about him too. And she had no idea what that meant. As much as she 'hated' Derek most of the time—she really _didn't_ hate him. She couldn't. In Derek's arms, Casey felt content because she didn't have to worry about whether Derek hated her anymore. But, that worry was replaced with a new one as she gazed up at him. There was a tension in the air between them. It wasn't the usual angry tension that plagued their relationship as they both fought for dominance in the household. It was a different kind of tension—a kind that made Casey feel a little dizzy. If she had been standing, her knees would have been weak.

The urge to kiss Derek briefly flashed across Casey's mind. The impulse scared her, and she pulled away abruptly. It was a terrifying intrusive thought. Casey could admit that Derek cared about her, but not…like _that_. Casey told herself that her body must have been reading into things. She must have momentarily forgotten that she was there with _Derek_ —her _step-brother_.

 _It's not a_ _ppropriate_ _to want to kiss your step-brother!_

When they were in the hallway, Derek approached her in his usual cocky manner, sporting a playful banter that Casey was all-too familiar with. But it felt…different somehow. She was suddenly made aware of their chemistry. It was playful and teasing, like a game of cat and mouse where they both tried to be the cat.

And when they shook hands, they lingered. Casey felt butterflies in her stomach, like she had a crush on Derek or something.

 _There is no way_ _._ Casey thought. _There is no way I am going to fall for the Venturi charm!_

Derek was her step-brother! That was all he would _ever_ be! She couldn't start developing feelings for him just because he was being nice to her! She was smarter than that! Casey reminded herself that he was still… _Derek_.

She took a deep breath. She was strong. She was going to get through everything, including whatever was going on with Derek. She just needed to act normal around him. Sooner or later, Derek would call her Klutzilla, or some other belittling title, and her confusing feelings would go away.

Casey was emotionally exhausted. She could feel herself melting into the cushions of the chair. She drifted to sleep. The sound of Derek's heartbeat drummed through her memory, lulling her into slumber; fast at first, anxious almost, gradually settling into a slow, pumping rhythm.

Thump, thump…thump…thump…

* * *

 _Casey faced a crossroads; a leafy path in a lush forest. She didn't know where she was, or where she was going. Directly in front of her awaited darkness, an unknown that made Casey feel nervous and unsure. She looked to her left and saw Derek, leaning up against a tree, arms crossed, a smirk plastered on his cocky face. She looked to her right and saw Derek…again! She turned her head rapidly between the two Dereks. They were identical, staring at her, amused._

 _The Derek on her left spoke first. "What's wrong Headcase?" He pouted, mockingly, "You lost?"_

 _"Hey! Leave her alone!" The Derek on her right defended._

 _Casey watched, unsure of what to do, as the two Derek's approached her._

 _"You out here all alone Case?" The rude Derek laughed harshly, "What? Couldn't find someone desperate enough to want to keep you company?"_

 _"Don't listen to him Case," Nice Derek said. "I'd be happy to keep you company."_

 _As the two Dereks approached her, Casey realized that there was something wrong with them. They looked like Derek, and they sounded like Derek, but there was a voice in the back of Casey's head that screamed GET OUT! They were not Derek, they were imposters!_

 _Casey ran straight ahead, down the dark path, her heart beating out her chest in apprehension of the unknown. She stumbled out of the forest and tripped on a thick root. Bracing her fall, Casey's hands slipped into soft, hot sand._

 _She stood up, shielding her eyes from the bright sun. She looked around at the beautiful tropical oasis around her. In front of her, sitting atop the perfect white sand, was an enormous canopy bed, shaded by a palm tree and covered in rose petals. Mesmerized, Casey trailed her fingers over the silky bedsheets, blowing in the warm breeze. Looking around, Casey realized the forest was gone. There was a beautiful beach as far as the eye could see. She looked down at herself to see that she was wearing a bikini. She lay down on the bed, relaxing._

 _She spotted something in the ocean. It was a figure…approaching her. She sat up and squinted, trying to get a better look._

 _It was Derek, striding out of the water, purposefully headed toward her. Casey froze as she watched him advance. She couldn't take her eyes off his shirtless frame, and the way the sun danced on his skin. He pushed the wet hair out of his face and gazed at her intensely as he approached. He was getting closer and closer._

 _Derek reached the end of the bed and Casey gawked at him. A playful smile tugged at the corner of his lips. There was recognition in his eyes. Casey knew this was the real Derek…not some imposter. She gasped as he climbed over the foot of the bed, crawling over her. His arm curved around her waist and he pulled her to lie down underneath him. She wanted so badly for him to kiss her._

 _"Derek." She murmured._

 _He leaned down, softly and passionately kissing along Casey's jaw. She arched her back slightly at the sensation. He trailed kisses down her neck._

 _Then Casey realized what she was doing._

* * *

Casey awoke in a cold sweat, breathing heavily. She looked around, unsure of where she was. She looked down at herself; back to reality, sitting in Derek's chair. She got up promptly and ran to her bed, jumping under the covers. Frantically, she reached under her pillow and pulled out her dream diary. She took the pen from the binding and flipped to a blank page. The second the pen hit the paper, Casey froze.

 _What if someone reads this?!_

She couldn't risk it. Sighing, Casey wrote a single word.

 _Derek_.


	24. Sister Knows Best

**Chapter 24: Sister Knows Best**

* * *

"So, what's going on with you and Derek?"

Casey's nose was startled out from the pages of her book. She looked up to see Lizzie standing in the bedroom doorway with her arms crossed, giving her a prompting stare. Casey sat up in her bed, dropping the book into her lap. Lizzie's question rang in her ears as she scrambled to find an answer.

"N—nothing!" Casey stammered. "Why would you think there's something going on?"

"Oh, come _on_ Casey!" Lizzie rolled her eyes, coming in to sit next to her on the bed. "It's _so_ obvious."

Casey's pulse quickened. "What are you talking about?" She asked in an unnaturally high voice.

Lizzie sighed. "At first, I wasn't going to say anything, but it's been over a week, and everyone is really freaking out! You guys have been acting weird!" Casey held her breath and stared at Lizzie with wide eyes. "So…what's going on?" Lizzie demanded.

"We have _not_ been acting weird." Casey lied, weakly. She wasn't about to admit to Lizzie that she had _definitely_ been acting weird around Derek. If she admitted to acting weird, she would have to admit to _why_ she was acting weird. There was no _way_ she could tell her little sister about all the sexy dreams she'd been having about their step-brother ever since she had shared an intimate hug with him on the bathroom floor. Nor was she about to tell Lizzie about the rumors that were still— _apparently_ —all people could talk about.

"You've been avoiding each other." Lizzie stated. It was true, Casey had been avoiding Derek. She couldn't help but see him differently now. Every time she saw him, she remembered how it felt when their skin touched, how tantalizing his lips looked, and the feeling of his fingers in her hair. She couldn't help but be reminded of her dreams, in which she always kissed Derek, and in which she always loved it. It was too much for her to handle, so she avoided him at all costs.

"We don't exactly enjoy each other's company." Casey deflected.

Lizzie persisted "Derek has barely said anything mean to you all week!" This was also true. Any time Casey was unable to avoid Derek—family dinners for example…he was unusually quiet. He didn't tease her like normal. Instead, it seemed like he had been avoiding her as well, only interacting with her when asking her to pass the ketchup. He would even say please!

"You just pointed out that Derek and I haven't seen much of each other this week. It's kind of hard to be mean if we don't talk!" Casey argued.

"It's more than that..." Lizzie said, "Any time one of you enters a room, the other leaves! And you both look at each other like…"

 _Like what?_

"Like…I don't know!" Lizzie shook her head. "But something's up!"

Casey needed to shut Lizzie down and insist that there was absolutely _nothing_ happening with her and Derek. She _had_ to stop this conversation from going any further. The topic was off-limits! Casey opened her mouth, to blurt out any excuse…

"And I think I know what it is…" Lizzie said with an apprehensive smile, looking up at Casey sheepishly.

Casey couldn't do anything other than blink at her sister in fear. Did Lizzie know something about her budding feelings for Derek? Did she know about the dreams. She shuffled slightly, running her hand under her pillow until she found the hard cover of her dream diary, safe in it's usual location. She felt a small wave of relief. Since her first…and second…and third dream about Derek, Casey could no longer keep the details bottled up. So, she had written everything in her dream diary. Of course, she kept Derek's name out of her entries, referring to Derek simply as ' _him_ '. Her secret was still safe. So, what was Lizzie taking about?

"I might have…heard something." Lizzie mumbled, looking up at Casey, knowingly.

Casey sucked in her lips and tried to keep her breathing under control. She hoped Lizzie wasn't referring to…

"A rumor."

Casey's hands flew up to hide her face. "Oh my god!" She whimpered. She was mortified. She hadn't expected for the rumor to reach the _family!_ Casey had been worried about _Derek's_ reaction…but the family's?!

 _What about mom and George?!_

Lizzie gasped. "So, it _is_ true!"

"What?!" Casey exclaimed, "Of _course_ it's not true!" Lizzie gave Casey a disbelieving frown. "It's not!" Casey insisted. "Why would you even _think_ that? He's my…" Casey winced, "Brother! He's… _Derek_!"

"So?" Lizzie questioned, "He's your _step_ -brother! It's not like there's any blood relation! And you and Derek have _never_ thought of each other as siblings, you've only known each other since you were fifteen!"

Casey gasped at Lizzie in disbelief. "What are you _saying_ Lizzie? We're step-siblings! It's wrong! And besides, how could you even believe for a _second_ that Derek and I would be together? We hate each other!" Casey wasn't sure why she felt the need to argue the matter so persistently. She could have just said _: 'me and Derek? ew!'_ That could have been the end of the discussion. But Casey knew 'ew' would be dishonest. When Casey dreamed about being _together_ with Derek, 'ew' was the furthest thing from her mind. Casey realized that perhaps, she was arguing more with herself than with Lizzie; trying to debate away her feelings for Derek.

"You _don't_ though." Lizzie sighed, "You're always there for one another when it counts. Anyone who knows you guys can tell that you really care about each other." Casey's cheeks heated up, thinking back to the moments she had shared with Derek, where he proved that he really _did_ care about her.

"Well, fine." She said, "But that doesn't mean we're…you know…"

"I know..." Lizzie trailed off, as though there was much more she wanted to say.

"But?" Casey prompted.

"But when I heard the rumor…" Lizzie sighed, "Sure, at first, I was surprised. But then…I don't know. I guess it just made sense."

Lizzie's statement made absolutely _no_ sense to Casey. "Made…sense…" Casey said in disbelief. Lizzie simply shrugged, smiling at her.

Casey scoffed, "In what _universe_ does me and Derek, _together_ …make sense?"

"How do I put this?" Lizzie pondered, "With you and Derek, there seems to be a fine line between fighting…and _flirting_." She smirked teasingly.

Casey's face went red. Her and Derek… _flirting_? There was no _way_! Casey had seen Derek flirt before; he flirted with all the girls at school! She would have _noticed_ if he were flirting with her!

"F-f-flirting?"

"Yeah, it's like…gosh! Make out already!" Lizzie giggled.

"LIZZIE!" Casey screeched, shocked and embarrassed by her little sister's words. "Derek and I are not…." She took a deep breath, "We're not anything! Things are just weird right now."

Lizzie frowned. "Because of the rumor?"

And because they shared an intimate embrace on the bathroom floor, and because she thought about kissing him, and because she felt a strange new energy between them that she couldn't ignore. Not to mention the sexy dreams.

"Yeah." Casey said, "It's kind of awkward that everyone thinks we're…you know…" Casey trailed off, "Which we're not!"

"Okay, okay." Lizzie assured. "I believe you." Casey breathed a sigh of relief. "But if things are weird between you and Derek, you have to fix it." Lizzie said, "You can't ignore each other forever."

"I know." Casey sighed. She knew that ignoring Derek was unsustainable in the long run. But what was she supposed to do?

"Right away." Lizzie stated.

Casey groaned, "I know."

"Like…now." Lizzie said, pulling Casey up off the bed.

"What?!" Casey yelped, as Lizzie pulled her to her feet. Lizzie started pushing her towards the door. "Right now? No! Lizzie—" Casey was too stunned to fight against Lizzie's hands on her back.

"Why not?" Lizzie pushed Casey into the hallway "What exactly are you waiting for?"

Casey stared at Derek's door. She turned away from it only to see Lizzie glaring at her with a determined smirk. "Go on…" She said, gesturing for Casey to turn back around.

With a deep breath, Casey quietly knocked.


	25. Knock Knock! Who's There? Friendship

**Chapter 25:** Knock Knock! Who's There? Friendship.

* * *

Was that a knock at the door? Derek looked up from his computer. No, it was too subtle. He heard a few bickering voices on the other side. One of them was definitely Casey. Derek stared at the door. Casey hadn't knocked…right? Why would she? They weren't exactly on speaking terms.

 _KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK_

Derek nearly jumped out of his seat. "C—come in!" He said, feeling like an idiot for stammering.

Derek's pulse quickened as Casey came inside. She turned around and closed the door behind her, pausing with her back turned to him. Derek felt sick with anticipation. He had barely said ten words to Casey since the night he found out about the rumor. He had no idea why she was here, or what she was going to say. He was dangerously out of control of the current situation. Casey slowly turned to face him, and their eyes met. Derek tried to keep his expression blank. He hated the effect Casey had on him. Why couldn't he just be cool, like normal? They kept each other's gaze, and for a moment, Derek wondered if Casey was going to say anything at all, or if they would be locked in an intense staring-contest for eternity.

"Derek." Casey said, her voice quiet and breathy.

He wasn't sure what Casey wanted…and he wasn't about to guess. So, he went along with her the best way he knew how.

"Casey." Derek breathed huskily.

Casey's breath became shallow, her chest rising and falling rapidly. She crossed her arms and her nails scratched anxiously along her forearms. She tore her gaze from Derek and started looking around the room as if she were looking for an escape.

 _What the hell is on your mind, Casey?_ Derek wondered. _No!_ He thought suddenly, as Casey turned to leave. Quickly, Derek stood up and stopped her, grabbing her by the elbow.

"Wait!" He said.

Casey turned to him, looking down at his grip on her arm. He relaxed his hold on her, but he kept his hand on her, gently ensuring that she stay put. She looked up at him, resuming their silent staring-contest.

"Why are you here, Case?" Derek asked when he realized she still wasn't going to say anything.

"I don't know. I—" Casey began. She pulled away from him, crossing her arms over her chest.

" _You_ came in _here_ , remember?" Derek crossed his arms over his chest as well, mirroring Casey's action. "Presumably to say something?" He prompted.

"I wanted to talk to you." Casey said, gathering her courage, "About the rumor." She looked up at Derek through her eyelashes.

Derek swallowed. It was dangerous to talk about this with Casey. The rumor had very bad timing. It was hard to dodge accusations that he and Casey were together while he was trying so desperately to ignore any feelings he had for her. And of course, Casey _had_ to confront him about it. The whole 'not talking' thing was working well enough. Why couldn't they just stick with that? Derek wasn't sure why, but he felt the need to play with Casey, and dance around the topic.

"What rumor?" He smirked, trying to take the seriousness out of the conversation.

"Derek, _stop_!" Casey said, flustered and frustrated. "You know what I'm talking about!"

"Ohhhhh!" Derek drawled, "You mean the rumor where you and I…" He gravitated towards Casey as though his body was acting on its own volition. She backed up against the door. Derek searched Casey's expression and body language for any sign of encouragement, but she only looked nervous and uncomfortable. He forced a laugh and backed away from her.

"It's ridiculous. What about it?" Derek was disappointed by Casey's reaction. He wasn't sure what he had been expecting…for her to be into him? She was his _step-sister_ for fuck sakes. Derek suddenly felt like a creep, there was no way innocent little Casey would feel csomfortable with him flirting with her! He clearly had some weird, pervy, unrequited crush on his step sister. _Ugh_. Derek didn't _do_ crushes.

"Exactly." Casey said, "It's absurd." She straightened her posture and looked Derek in the eye. "Which is why we shouldn't let it make things weird between us. I thought we could just…clear the air. "

That's why she thought things were weird between them? Sure, the rumor was awkward (and it complicated things for him) but Derek had been acting weird around Casey for an entirely different reason. He had almost kissed her… _twice!_ Derek couldn't deny the fact that he had feelings for Casey. It was a _purely_ physical attraction to someone he kind of, maybe…cared about.

Whenever Casey was in the room, Derek couldn't help but look at her in confusing and inappropriate ways. He would stare at certain places that would get him in a _lot_ of trouble if Casey noticed. And his attention would also be drawn to little things, like the texture of her lips as she smiled, or the way her eyes would flicker to his whenever he entered the room.

Derek had started to suspect Casey of feeling the same way towards him, since she was also avoiding him. But now, he realized she had just been feeling awkward about the rumor. Because the idea of being with her step-brother was embarrassing and shameful for her. Because she was a sane person (usually).

"So…" Derek murmured, "Back to normal then?" He could deal with that.

"Well, I was kind of hoping that maybe…" Casey bit her lip, "We could be friends?"

 _Friends_? How was he supposed to be _friends_ with Casey? How would he keep his feelings away?

"F—friends?" Derek almost laughed.

"Yeah." Casey shrugged, looking up at him with hopeful eyes, "Now that I know you don't _hate_ me, it might be nice to have a friend at Queens."

Derek's heart clenched at Casey's words. He could never hate her, and it still bothered him that she ever thought he did. He looked at Casey's sad puppy dog eyes and didn't want to let her down.

 _Fuck!_ Derek thought, _I'm such a wuss_!

Derek assured himself that he _could_ be friends with Casey! N _ot_ because Casey asked him to, but because he wanted to prove to himself that he wasn't a wuss! Casey McDonald was _not_ in control of him. He was normally smooth and confident, and he was going to prove to himself that Casey would not get under his skin. Derek was not going to let his feelings get the best of him. He was going to get his old self back, and he wasn't going _let_ himself have any feelings for Casey. In fact, Derek thought, he was going to push Casey so far into the friendzone, that he would see her as Sam 2.0, or maybe a Ralph. Definitely not somebody he would be attracted to.

"Friends with a Keener?" Derek grinned. Casey eyed him apprehensively. "I guess I can make that work." Casey's face brightened into a smile and Derek's heart warmed. He shoved the feeling deep down.

Nora's voice called from the hallway, "Casey?"

Casey's eyes widened, and she turned away from Derek. "Uh…I'm in here mom!"

Nora came into Derek's room and looked at the two teens in confusion. "Oh! So, you two are…talking again?"

"Actually," Casey smiled, looking over at Derek knowingly, "Derek and I are _friends_ now!"

Derek tried to smile convincingly. It seemed to fool Nora. She shook away her shock and grinned. "Friends!" She exclaimed, clearly excited by the possibility that they might start getting along. "That's…that's great news!"

"Did you want something, mom?" Casey asked, startling Nora out of a seemingly pleasant daydream.

"Oh, yes! I wanted to tell you that there's a huge sale going on at the mall this weekend." Nora said, "I thought it would be nice if we could go together on Saturday and pick out some things for your dorm!"

"That sounds great, but I have plans with Emily on Saturday." Casey said apologetically.

"We can bring her with us!" Nora sung. "And now that you and Derek are getting along, he can join us too!"

Derek scoffed. "You want me to go _shopping_?"

"Yes! Who knows? Maybe there's a mini-fridge on sale or something!"

The mini-fridge teased Derek's interest, but he wasn't sure if he could put up with a shopping day with his step-mom, his ex-girlfriend, and… _Casey_. A mini-fridge only went so far. Derek looked over at Casey who was casting him a painfully hopeful look. He could tell Casey wanted him to say yes as an extension of friendship…

"Fine, I'll go. Sounds fun." Derek mumbled, his tone less sarcastic than he expected. Casey beamed, beautifully.

 _This friend thing will work._

 _This friend thing will work._

 _This friend thing will work!_


	26. Sweet Dream or a Beautiful Nightmare

**Chapter 26:** Sweet Dream or a Beautiful Nightmare

* * *

 _Stupid smirk. Stupid adorable smirk that I can't get out of my mind. Stupid Derek. Stupid feelings for Derek. Stupid me! GOSH, I'm so stupid! I'm just like every other girl from school who has a stupid crush on stupid Derek! It's so…stupid!_

"Casey?" Emily's voice startled her from her daydream. Casey had been staring at the wall—the _stupid_ wall. Behind which…was Derek. The wall had been driving her nuts. It was like she could feel his presence through the paint, plaster, and drywall. "Have you been listening to a word I'm saying?"

Evidently, Emily had been in the middle of a long story. Casey had stopped listening a while back. She couldn't even remember what the story was about. As soon as Emily had said Derek's name as a passing anecdote in her rant, Casey completely lost track of anything Emily was talking about, getting lost in Derek, and his stupid, stupid, cute, stupid face.

"I'm sorry, Em." Casey said, rubbing her hands over her cheeks, "I'm just really tired. I haven't been sleeping well."

"Why?" Emily asked, deeply concerned. Casey wondered for why Emily would be so concerned about her lack of sleep, but then she realized. Emily could be attributing the lack of sleep to Truman and the events at the party, worrying that Casey was in psychological turmoil and unable to rest.

"It's fine, really" Casey assured, "I've just been having some weird dreams."

Emily seemed to relax slightly. "Like what?" She asked curiously.

"Like…I don't know." Casey dismissed. Emily knew full-well that Casey kept track of her dreams, but Casey didn't exactly want to go into detail with Emily about her sexy Derek fantasies. She cursed the incriminating blush that rose to her cheeks. She turned her head away to hide her crimson complexion.

"Are you…blushing?" Emily gasped. Casey's blush _always_ gave her away. She knew that Emily wouldn't let up until she learned every detail of these blush-inducing dreams. As though her blood could hear Emily's accusation, Casey's blush deepened. "Have you been having…" Emily raised her eyebrows, " _Sex_ dreams?"

"Not _sex_ dreams!" Casey squeaked, embarrassed, "Just…mildly sexy ones."

Emily could hardly contain her excitement. "And who _stars_ in these mildly sexy, no-sex, sex dreams?"

Obviously, Casey couldn't tell Emily the truth. Her mind raced, trying to think of someone. It couldn't be an ex-boyfriend, or Emily would read too much into it. It couldn't be _any_ guy they knew, or Emily would be convinced Casey had feelings for him. Maybe a celebrity? Maybe a faceless figure?

"I don't know." Casey blurted. Emily clearly didn't believe her. "It's the same guy every time. But when I wake up, I forget what his face looks like."

"Weird!" Emily said, "Is there _anything_ you can remember about him?"

Casey bit her lip, committing to the lie and trying to deflect away from Derek as much possible. "I remember he was blonde, and he had blue eyes—I think."

"Fascinating…" Emily said slowly, as though blonde hair and blue eyes really _were_ fascinating traits.

Casey swallowed. "Fascinating?" She asked nervously, hoping that Emily couldn't see right through her shaky ruse.

"Yeah! You always like guys with brown hair and brown eyes!" Emily stated, confidently.

 _Derek has brown hair and brown eyes._

"Coincidence." Casey said, hoping it was.

"Okay, then…" Emily pressed, "Tell me more!"

"I can't!" Casey said, "Too embarrassing." Especially since the ' _star'_ of the dreams was actually Casey's step-brother, and Emily's ex-boyfriend.

"Come _on_ Casey!" Emily whined, too curious to let it go.

Casey procured her dream diary from under her pillow. She felt like she owed it to Emily. Everything Casey had been going through had affected Emily as well, and Casey didn't feel like she was being the friend that Emily deserved. She had involved Emily in the stressful prank against Derek, and she had forgotten to call Emily afterward to tell her what happened, like she had promised. There had been too much going on. To make matters worse, Emily had been swept up in all the rumors going on, getting just as many messages as her and Derek. Their peers thoughtfully referred to Emily as 'Derek's _other_ girlfriend,' and it was rumored that he had finally dumped Emily when he decided to fully commit to Casey.

The rumor mill was a mysterious, destructive force. Any attempts to shut the rumors down had made them worse. Casey felt like the most terrible friend in the world. She couldn't tell Emily that the sexy dreams were about Derek. Not just because she was in major denial about her feelings, but because she worried it would hurt Emily. The least Casey could do was give in and let Emily know about all the dirty details of her embarrassing dreams.

Casey flipped open the diary to one of the most recent entries. It was a dream about the night she spoke to Derek in his room. Casey was thankful that she hadn't written Derek's name. Hesitantly, she handed to Emily.

"There's no way I could repeat them, out loud."

Emily eagerly snatched the diary from Casey. "Then I will," she winked, and began to read the entry aloud, dramatically…

" _Casey," he breathed huskily as I entered the…rose garden._

Of course, it hadn't been a rose garden; it had been Derek's bedroom. But Casey couldn't write that. Some of the details were different, but the feelings were all real.

 _I stared at him, knowing there was so much to be said, but unable to say anything at all. I had arrived with as much confidence as I could muster to say what was on my mind, at least to some degree. I wasn't prepared to tell him the extent of my feelings, but I wanted to clear the air between us, for the sake of the kingdom._

Or for the sake of the family.

 _Upon hearing my name uttered with such heavy, undecipherable emotion, my confidence slipped away. My feelings for him invaded my rational mind._

Emily stopped reading. "Wow, Casey!" She said, "You must really like this guy!"

"Keep reading." Casey dismissed.

 _I suddenly felt the urge to run. He stared at me expectantly, wondering why I was here, but I no longer knew what I wanted to say. I didn't want to let my feelings show, and I was worried that I was making them increasingly obvious as I stood there wordlessly. I decided to leave—I didn't have the strength to stay._

" _Wait!" He shouted, grabbing me by the elbow and turning me to face him. His grip wasn't tight, I could have pulled away, but instead I let him guide me so that we were face to face. I stared down at my arm—his skin on mine. The feeling of him touching me became the only sensation in my body, the rest of the world was numb, and everything was concentrated to that one little spot. His hold relaxed, and his hand rested on me, maintaining the contact. I felt his skin brushing against mine gently and I looked into his eyes._

 _"Why are you here Case?" He stared directly into my soul, searching for the answer._

"He calls you Case!" Emily observed. "That is so cute!"

Casey blushed. "Just keep going, Em." She hoped Emily didn't notice that the only person who consistently called her 'Case' was Derek.

 _If I were to have a mature, rational conversation with him, I would need a clear head. I pulled away from his contact, crossing my arms over my chest. My skin still tingled where he had touched me. "I don't know. I—" the words hardly wanted to come out._

" _You came to find me." He said, regarding my wordlessness. His arms had retreated away from me and I felt uselessly cold. I had needed to pull away from him, but I craved his warmth again. "You wished to say something to me, I presume?"_

Casey might have embellished to stay relevant to the theme. She also knew that it might give it away if she used Derek's exact wording, since her and Derek had very identifiable ways of speaking with one another…

" _I wanted to talk to you about the engagement." I said, trying to hide my hesitation for talking about such a complicated subject. I had hardly spoken to him since we had found out that we were arranged to be married. It was clear that he wasn't comfortable with such an arrangement, which made everything much more difficult, because of my feelings for him. As much as I wanted it to be real—to him, it was simply ridiculous. I had come to reduce the tension between us. If we could discuss the engagement in business terms, perhaps we could reach an agreement, and it would become a lot easier to leave my feelings out of it._

Obviously, Casey couldn't mention the rumor without giving it away.

 _I looked up at him, trying to sense his feelings. But instead, he decided to avoid the subject and make me squirm. "What engagement?" He teased. He clearly wanted me to say it out loud—you and me, engaged to be married._

"Ooo!" Emily chirped, "What a flirt!"

"Emily!" Casey pleaded. Besides, Derek hadn't been flirting! He had been trying to get under her skin, as usual.

"Sorry!" Emily said, continuing.

" _You know what engagement I'm talking about!" I defended._

" _Ohhhh…" He drawled, stepping closer to me. Instinctively, I backed away from him, scared that having him too close would reveal my true feelings. Whenever he was near, I couldn't help my physical reaction to him…and I couldn't help my brain from turning to mush. I felt myself back up against a sturdy tree. He was so close to me, and I began to feel my heart racing. "You mean_ _our_ _engagement?"_

"This is so good!" Emily said, and immediately resumed reading before Casey could say anything.

 _I stared up into his eyes, and I saw something in them; something that scared me but filled me with an indescribable excitement. I hoped he couldn't see how he affected me. I felt the urge to run, again. He was so close to me that I couldn't hide the obvious, that his proximity bewitched me, and that I wanted—more than anything—for him to kiss me. I felt a sickening fear that I would be discovered. He would reject me, and things would never be the same again. He would always be in my life, so the humiliation would be never-ending. If he looked hard enough, he would know about all the thoughts I've had about him—all the fantasies…and everything would be ruined._

Casey's heart raced as Emily read on, reciting the part of the dream that had differed from the real-life conversation with Derek.

 _I could feel the tension between us. His eyes locked with mine and they seemed to speak volumes. Suddenly, his lips cushioned mine, his hands cupping my face delicately. It was the single sweetest kiss I had ever experienced._

 _My arms wrapped around him, and my fingers played with his hair. That's when the kiss came to life. He held on to me as though he was clinging to the world, pulling me tighter into his body. I gasped as he broke away from my lips._

 _Breathing heavily, he gazed into my eyes and I could see my own feelings reflected at me. I could tell that he felt the same way, and I was overjoyed._

"Wow!" Emily concluded, fanning herself jokingly. "That was…some dream!"

Casey laughed, awkwardly. "Yeah."

'You call that _mildly_ sexy?" Emily chuckled, "The sexual tension was off the charts!"

Casey sighed, "I know! That was a seriously amazing kiss, eh?" She had never been kissed like that in real life…it was just a wonderful, romantic fantasy.

"I mean, yeah!" Emily said, "But before that! The sexual tension between you and the mystery guy was just… _WHEW_ _!_ _So_ hot!"

"Really?" Casey asked. Other than the whole engagement thing, and a few wording choices…their conversation had been the same. But there hadn't been any sexual tension! Just…regular tension. _Derek_ tension!

"I honestly don't know how you could have thought—even for a second, that he didn't feel the same way!" Emily said, grinning from ear-to-ear.

"It was just a dream," Casey decided.

They both looked up at the sound of the door opening. Derek leaned against the frame. Casey used to find his lazy, suave, confidence annoying—a symbol of Derek's ego. But now, she couldn't help but feel attracted to the charming way he presented himself, it seemed so effortless.

"Hey Em," He said, nodding. His eyes locked with Casey's and she had to remember to keep breathing. "Hey Case."

"Hey Derek!" Emily said cheerfully, thankfully glossing over the whole 'Case' nickname.

"Nora sent me in here to tell you that we're leaving soon." Derek said, tearing his eyes from Casey's casually "To go…shopping." Casey could see the grimace he was holding back. She wasn't sure why he had agreed to go in the first place. But, Derek— _shopping_! That was a sight Casey couldn't miss. Also, she was secretly flattered that Derek was going as a display of friendship. It was going to be easier to be Derek's friend. She couldn't avoid him, but their usual fighting was unsustainable. Its not like they were going to be BFF's or anything…just civil.

"What's that?" Derek asked, nodding to the open book in Emily's lap, "Casey's diary?" He smirked. "Wow! She won't let _anyone_ read that! In all these years of living with her I've never got my hands on it."

Of course, there was never going to be a day where Derek didn't tease her, but Casey smiled. Derek's teasing had become a lot friendlier. There was no tone of condescension, or superiority, or contempt. It was all in good-fun now. And honestly, Casey felt like that was ideal. If Derek suddenly stopped teasing her altogether, she would think that Derek was possessed or something. Besides, they were _Casey and Derek_ ; there was no changing that. Casey's feel-good moment didn't last long though, as she realized that the book Derek was referring to was filled with her feelings for him. She suddenly felt very nervous.

"It's just her dream diary." Emily clarified. Casey's heart leaped into her throat. "But there are _definitely_ some juicy bits in here." Casey wasn't sure what to do, or how to stop this avenue of conversation. All she could do was listen to it unfold.

Derek scoffed. "What could _possibly_ be _juicy_ about Casey's dreams?"

Emily looked up at him with a knowing glance, a coy smirk playing on her lips. It took a second, but Derek seemed to catch on, based on Emily's suggestive smile and Casey's mortified expression.

"Ohhh!" Derek laughed, but there seemed to be a weird quality to it that Casey couldn't quite identify. She really hoped that he didn't suspect the dreams were about _him_. "Who would have thought that Miss Polly-Preppy-Pants would have _sex_ dreams?" He crossed his arms and grinned at Casey in mock-amazement.

"They are _not_ sex dreams!" Casey shrieked, hiding her face in her hands. Even though Derek didn't know the dreams were about _him_ , she felt totally exposed. She didn't want him to know that she had those kinds of dreams at all!

Derek stole the book from Emily. Casey stared up at him, frozen. He was going to read it. It was one thing for Emily to read it…but _Derek_ would _absolutely_ find the conversation familiar. He would know it was about him!

This was it! Nothing would ever be the same again! Casey prepared herself for the worst. To her immense relief, Derek flipped a few pages back to read a passage from a different entry. She stared up at him, jaw dropped. She couldn't believe what was happening. He was about to read one of her dreams. She was so glad there was no way he could know it was about him

"He trailed electric kisses along the sensitive skin of my stomach, traveling upwards to my chest." Derek read, cocking an eyebrow. Of course, Derek would read _this_ dream; it was a lot more…physical than the others. "He kissed my collar bone, tracing his tongue in slow circles. He looked up at me with his deep brown eyes—"

"Hey!" Emily exclaimed, "I thought you said his eyes were blue!"

"Where did this even come from, Case?" Derek asked. The implication was heavy in his tone that he didn't think Casey had the experience to dream up such an event. It was true, she hadn't experienced anything like that before, and she wasn't sure _where_ it came from. All she knew was that she was completely mortified.

"I…I guess his eyes were brown." She deflected. She had been caught in a lie. She was drowning in the lies.

"Who?" Derek asked.

"The mystery guy in her dream!" Emily explained, looking over at Casey. Seeing her embarrassed expression, Emily got up and took the book from Derek, "But that's enough embarrassing Casey for one day."

"Don't sweat it Case." Derek winked, "It's _toooootally_ normal to have sex dreams, I have them all the time!"

Casey didn't want to think about the sex dreams Derek was having. While all her dreams were about him, she doubted any of _his_ dreams were about her. The last thing Casey wanted to imagine was the sex dreams Derek had about other girls.

"Actually," Derek said, "I think I respect you more now. It shows that you're a normal seventeen-year-old and not just an organized homework robot." He shrugged. They heard Nora call from downstairs. "Time to go." He said casually.

After that whole ordeal, Casey could really use some retail-therapy.


	27. A Lesson in Denial

**Chapter 27:** A Lesson in Denial

* * *

Derek rode shotgun on the way to the mall. Nora was prattling on about university, and Casey and Emily were happily pouring themselves into the conversation. Tuning out their feminine voices, Derek focused on the low drumming of his heartbeat, staring out the window at the passing scenery.

Being friends with Casey was a good idea in theory. If they were friends, Derek wouldn't have to feel obligated to uselessly shove Casey into the category of 'sister', because that would _never_ happen. Also, Derek's pesky feelings for Casey kept bubbling up, and he knew that if they kept going on like before, it was only a matter of time before they breached the surface.

Over the past week or so, Derek had several dreams about fighting with Casey—they all contained one crucial difference from his real-life fights with her…

" _Der-ek!" Casey yelled._

 _Derek sauntered into the bathroom to find a red-faced, towl-wrapped Casey. "What?" He asked, innocently, willing his eyes not to travel lower than her shoulders._

" _Did you put green dye in my shampoo?" She demanded, grabbing the bottle from the tub and casting him a withering glare. He couldn't help but notice how her towel had slipped slightly lower._

 _Shrugging, Derek smirked at Casey as her face grew even redder. "I thought it would go nice with your red complexion. Complimentary colors and all…"_

 _Casey sneered, sarcastically, "Derek Venturi knows color theory?"_

" _I know all sorts of things." Derek grinned, cockily. It wasn't one of his best lines, but it seemed to have the desired effect on Casey, who was stepping closer to him, invading his space._

" _Well, did you know I have a date tonight?" Casey said, getting right up in his face. Normally, Derek would love to provoke Casey into challenging him in such a way, their faces close and their eyebrows wiggling in a flirty, competitive dance. But his smile faded into a stark line at Casey's words. "A date you could have easily ruined! Green hair is not an attractive look for me Derek!"_

" _What makes you so sure?" Derek said playfully, bringing his signature smirk back into the game._

" _I happen to like my hair how it is!" Casey shouted. Although he wouldn't admit it, Derek happened to like Casey's hair too. He just needed to prank her, get it out of his system…get her riled up, and in his face, screaming his name. "And so does Josh!" She added. Once again, Derek's smirk fell, and he eyed Casey wearily, crossing his arms over his chest. "Why do you keep doing this, Derek?" She demanded, angrily._

" _Doing what, Princess?" Derek spat back with an equal tone of anger._

" _This is like, the fourth date of mine you have purposefully sabotaged!" Casey huffed. Derek couldn't help but notice how close her heaving chest was to his. Casey glared at him. "So, why do you keep doing it?!"_

" _You want to know why?!" Derek found himself saying. His better judgement wanted to back-track but whatever part of him that was in control knew it was too late to back down. He was like a runaway train at this point…_

" _Ye—" Casey was interrupted by Derek's lips on hers._

Yeah…that never happened. At least he finally got to kiss Casey in his dreams (over and over, every night). Derek had initially thought that it was _torture_ that he couldn't even get a kiss from Casey in his dreams, but he knew better now. Dream-kissing Casey would never stack up to the real thing, and he couldn't get it out of his mind. Which is why the friend thing _had_ to work. He couldn't risk his fantasies invading reality.

"What do you think, Derek?" Nora asked, suddenly.

Derek blinked. "Huh?" He mumbled, snapping back to the present. The girls in the back seat laughed.

"Ideally, what would you prefer…" Nora began, repeating her question, "Live on campus and get the dorm-life experience? Or, have the independent lifestyle of living _off_ campus?"

"Like we don't already know his answer…" Casey teased.

Derek rolled his eyes. "Dorm-life would be fun, sure. But it would be cool to have my own place." He said, clearly surprising everyone in the car.

Of course, they would assume he would prefer dorm-life. He would thrive in a dorm as king of the college experience. But there were some major issues with dorm-life.

"There's so many rules when you live on campus." He said, "It's like living at sleep-away camp. I like making my _own_ rules." Derek always loved being master of his domain. He was pretty much always in control. What Derek wants Derek gets. The exception, of course…being Casey. In fact, he had felt pretty in-control of everything in his life before Casey came along.

"But!" Emily gasped, "What about all the awesome dorm parties?"

"Believe it or not, Emily…" Derek teased, "You can still go to those when you live off campus."

"I guess. But it's not as convenient." Emily said.

Casey scoffed. " _I'm_ surprised Derek isn't more drawn by the convenience of living in close proximity to the co-eds," She joked bitterly. "Much more _convenient_ bringing a random girl home with you when you live _on_ campus."

A drawn-out silence echoed through the car until Derek asserted, "I don't think that will be a problem for me." He wasn't even sure what he meant by that. He knew he wouldn't have a problem getting girls to come home with him, no matter where he lived. But that thought hadn't crossed his mind until _after_ he spoke…Did he not _want_ to bring random girls home anymore?

Nora cleared her throat. "Oh look, we're here!" She announced, completely unnecessarily, to break the tension.

The mall was old. It looked like the 90's had barfed all over it and someone had forgotten to clean it up. Walking through its sticky halls, Derek sighed; he hated the mall. Well, that wouldn't be entirely true; he loved the mall (lots of girls), but he hated shopping.

Nora's purse started ringing with a pre-set blackberry ringtone. She pulled it out and looked at the screen. "Oh, I need to take this!" She said, sitting down on a couch and leaving the teens to window-shop. Derek watched Casey as she laughed along with Emily at a shop-window mannequin that was sporting a goofy expression and missing an arm. Casey's smile was bright, and she was throwing her head back in carefree laughter. Derek's mind started to wander…

How did he get here? When he had first met Casey…he hated her. No joke. Back then, Casey was just some plague on his life, sent to upset the balance. He hadn't wanted the McDonalds to move in… _especially_ Casey. Derek had been pissed at the universe for sticking him with an unwanted hot step-sister, who by all accounts was off-limits. Eventually, he got comfortable with the idea. Casey had been such a thorn in his side, that her hotness no longer mattered. He was _not_ attracted to Casey. Why? Because she was Casey…Grade-grubbing, keener, klutzilla, princess, Casey. Damn it! She may have been hot but it didn't matter, because she was Casey! Otherwise known as the girl who was supposed to be his step-sister! He did his best to keep her at a distance, especially once he started caring for her. It was like she had weaseled her way into his heart somehow. He could have maybe fooled himself into thinking it was brotherly (ugh). But of course, his attraction for Casey (though well-hidden, even from himself) kept his feelings far, _far_ from brotherly. His attraction for her couldn't stay hidden forever. And now, ever since their little remote fight and the hockey jersey incident…not to mention the bathroom floor thing, those feelings were at the forefront of Derek's mind at any given moment. He was doing a piss-poor job at keeping Casey at a distance now….not like she'd tolerate that. Casey McDonald had maneuvered her way into every part of his life…even his dreams. And now, where was he? Now, he was having dreams about his hot step-sister, who he most certainly cared about in a very non-brotherly way.

In those recent moments of intimacy with Casey, where he _really_ should have been distancing himself, Derek had gotten completely lost in how good it felt. Letting himself get closer and closer to Casey…though incredibly dangerous, was addictingly self-indulgent. Having hot fantasies and dreams about Casey was a far-cry from hating her.

 _Dreams…_

Derek was suddenly aware of the irony. He was having sexy dreams about Casey, and Casey was having sexy dreams about… _someone_. Emily said it was a mystery guy. Derek was shocked that Casey had those kinds of dreams at all, and honestly, reading her dream diary was a bit of a thrill. Maybe he would steal it and learn more about her sexy dreams with this 'mystery guy'. A smirk found its way to Derek's mouth as a different idea came to him. Common sense would probably tell him it was a bad idea, but Derek had always been a little too self-indulgent for his own good. Why steal Casey's dream diary when he could tease out the answers straight from the source?

'You guys go in!" Nora called, holding her phone to her chest, "I'm on hold with the doctor. Apparently, he's going out of town soon, so we have to rearrange our whole appointment schedule! This might take a while..." Derek had almost forgotten Nora was pregnant. She was showing, of course, but she wore loose shirts and dresses, so it wasn't obvious.

Following the girls into a clothing store, Derek eyed Casey questioningly. There was no _way_ her dreams were about _him_ …right? He _did_ have deep brown eyes. Casey having sexy dreams about _him_ —her step brother—was impossible to believe. Yet, somehow, Derek couldn't help but feel a jolt of excitement at the possibility. Perhaps it was just his ego. He waited for the moment when Casey was out of earshot of Emily. Derek's self-indulgence got the better of him as he snuck up behind Casey.

"So…" He said, brushing up against her, making her jump. He leaned in closer to her ear, "Have a good sleep last night, Case?

Casey spun around quickly, and Derek had to dodge her flying, vanilla-scented hair. "As a matter of fact, I did!" She said, sticking her nose up in the air, pretending to be very interested in a nearby stack of folded graphic tees. She obviously wanted to avoid the topic, but Derek wasn't about to let her off so easily.

"Oh, I bet you did!" He laughed. Casey's eyes darted to him in a steely glare. "Whoa!" He gasped in mock offense "You need to relax! Clearly, 'mystery guy' hasn't been doing a good enough job at releasing your _tension_."

Casey turned to Derek with her hands on her hips. "Don't you have anything better to do, Derek? Or is teasing me still your favorite hobby?" Her cheeks were filled with a telling blush; he was starting to get under her skin. Casey had always been a little bit of a prude—which was why it was so satisfying for Derek to know that she had very non-prudish dreams.

"I _always_ have something better to do, Case." Derek smirked, "But that's not the point. Believe it or not, I want to help you.

Casey scoffed, "Oh, really?"

"Really." Derek drawled.

"Help me with what?" Casey asked, skeptically.

Derek's smirk was at it's best and brightest as he advanced towards Casey. "Your denial." He answered in a raspy murmur. He could tell that Casey's resolve was starting to slip, her defensive walls becoming weaker and weaker.

"De—denial?" She said, shakily. "I—I'm not in denial."

Derek shook his head. Casey was such a bad liar. "Oh _please_ , Princess. You are _so_ in denial." He took a few hesitant steps closer to her, not wanting to scare her away. He was worried that she would run, but she planted herself firmly, staring him down.

She took a steadying breath, crossing her arms and regaining some composure. "About what?"

"About these sexually charged dreams you've been having." Derek said smoothly, aware that he was treading into treacherous territory.

He saw panic flash over Casey's soft features. She looked down at the floor. "I…I…" She stuttered "I'm not talking to you about this Derek!"

"Why not?" Derek challenged, "Having sexy dreams is probably the most interesting thing you've ever done!" He knew that he should end the conversation, but he couldn't help himself. He was too curious about Casey's dreams, and the 'mystery guy'. Derek was still struck by the remote possibility that Casey may be dreaming about him the way he had been dreaming about her. He needed to squeeze as much information out of her as possible.

Casey's eyes darted back up to him. "Of course, _you_ would find it interesting! You find _anything_ that embarrasses me to be interesting."

Feeling a slight sting of guilt from Casey's words, and the sharpness of her glance, Derek pushed on. "See?" He laughed lightly, "That's your problem right there, Case! Sex dreams are nothing to be ashamed of." Derek continued despite the warning glance Casey was giving him (a mixture of anger, annoyance, embarrassment, and fear). "You're _supposed_ to enjoy them! And your complete and utter embarrassment about having them has driven you into a deep pit of denial."

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Casey squeaked.

"This _mystery guy_ thing…" Derek said, using air-quotes, "I'm not buying it."

Casey's jaw dropped, her bright blue eyes wide as saucers. "I—I….Wh—wha?" She stammered.

"Deep brown eyes…" Derek prompted, trying to make his gaze as intense as possible to draw attention to his own deep-browns. He loved the fact that Casey seemed unable to make eye contact with him. Her face was a shade of pink that Derek decided was his new favorite color. He usually loved getting a rise out of Casey—but this was something else entirely. This was way better. He couldn't stop.

"You're in denial, Case." He insisted, "You know _exactly_ who you're dreaming about, you're just too embarrassed to admit it." The look on Casey's face confirmed his suspicions. She _did_ know who the mystery guy was. But…was it him?

Casey surprised him when she spoke, her voice unwavering, "I'll never tell you who he is, and you can't make me! I can't have you blabbing his identity to everyone we know! So, you might as well just give up on…whatever it is you're trying to do."

Derek narrowed his eyes at her, accepting her challenge whether she intended it or not. "There can't be _that_ many guys you know with _deep brown eyes_." Derek smirked, "I could probably narrow it down."

Casey stared at him. "You can guess all you want, Derek. I'm still not going to tell you." She shrugged defensively.

"Hmm, well…" Derek said, in a sarcastically thoughtful tone, "It could be Sam…" He ruminated, sincerely hoping it _wasn't_. Casey rolled her eyes. "Or maybe Max." God, he hoped it wasn't Max either. Who else has brown eyes? There was no way he was going to bring up Truman. "Noel?" Derek was running out of guesses. He felt a nervous knot in his stomach as it dawned on him that he would be disappointed if Casey's dreams were about anyone other than himself.

Without thinking, Derek boldly said, "You know who else has deep brown eyes?" He hadn't realized it, but he had somehow ended up inches away from Casey. He leaned forward to whisper in her ear, "M—"

"Derek…" Casey interrupted breathily.


	28. Collide

**Chapter 28:** Collide

* * *

 _Oh god! He knows! He knows! Derek KNOWS!_

Wild and panicked thoughts raced through Casey's head. She had felt somewhat secure in her belief that there was no way Derek could possibly know that he was the guy in her dreams. But now, with his relentless teasing of the subject and the accusation about the identity of the mystery guy, Casey worried that Derek was somehow figuring it all out. The feelings she harbored for him were bombs she wasn't prepared to let drop. Her secret—that she had somehow developed a crush on Derek (and was having embarrassing dreams to that effect)—was too big. Her secret was astronomical. Worst of all, Casey was certain that her feelings would be unrequited. This brief infatuation she seemed to have contracted was going to be the death of her, and she desperately wanted to be cured of it.

As Derek's teasing slowly escalated, Casey couldn't help but wonder what he gained from it. Maybe he _didn't_ know, and he just wanted to push her buttons and get under her skin. Maybe he wanted to find out, so he could tell everyone about it and set the rumor mill on a new course. Or maybe he _did_ know, and he was trying to torture her with the information; hold it over her head for the rest of her life until she was old and grey! _Maybe_ he would be asking her 'have any good dreams lately, Case?' from across the room at the seniors home because there was no way she would ever escape this _nightmare_!

"You know who else has deep brown eyes?" Derek asked in a low voice that made Casey feel weak in the knees. He was already too close, and he was getting closer, bringing his lips toward her ear. She hated how much it affected her. As Derek leaned forward, Casey caught a glimpse of something troubling behind him.

"Derek…" Casey interjected, her attention torn from the current entanglement, and now completely focused on the scene a few yards away. Derek pulled back and looked at her questioningly, but she couldn't look at him; her eyes were still glued over his shoulder. He turned to see what she was staring at.

It seemed they had attracted quite a crowd. A group of younger teens stood in a clump; they had clearly been watching the whole interaction. Casey regarded them in shock, noticing the camera phones they were using to snap pictures. They were maybe Edwin and Lizzie's age. A few shrill giggles emanated from the mass of adolescents. Some of the individuals were laughing mockingly while others simply gawked at them. Casey replayed the last few minutes, realizing with dread how it must have appeared to onlookers. This wasn't exactly going to _slow down_ the rumor mill…Casey risked a glance at Derek, unsure of what his reaction would be.

"Get lost." Derek ordered.

"Get a room!" One of the teens retorted.

"Get. Lost." Derek repeated, taking a step toward them.

The kid was not intimidated. "Awww! Do the love-birds want some privacy?"

Another teen chimed in. "Don't you get enough of that at home?"

"Yeah!" A tiny girl up front sneered. Casey was shocked by the harsh tone coming out of such an innocent looking child. "Are your parents like…hippies or something, letting you do whatever you want to each other? Or like, do they lock you away in separate cells like rabid hormone infested monsters?" The girl gasped mockingly, "Do they even _know_ that their kids are screwing each other?" Her lips curled up into an evil grin.

Casey scoffed. _Who on earth is this little devil child?!_

A hand came down onto Casey's shoulder and she jumped. She looked over and was relieved to see Emily, having almost forgotten she was there.

"Come on you guys." Emily said. Derek was still staring the teens down, jaw clenched. "Derek." She called. Casey gave him a slight nudge, which got his attention. "Let's get out of here." Emily pulled Casey away.

Casting one last glace at the group of cackling adolescents, Casey grabbed Derek by the arm and ushered him toward the exit. He only resisted slightly. Laughter trailed behind them as they distanced themselves from the teens. Once they were out of the store, Derek pulled his arm free from Casey's grasp. Before the they could even breathe a sigh of relief after the ordeal they had experienced, they were face to face with Nora.

"Didn't find anything?" She asked with a sweet smile.

"No." Derek said coldly, "I hate that store."

Ignoring Derek's insensitive tone, Casey clarified in her kindest voice, "It was kind of a bust." She shrugged. "Uh…but there's this other store I thought we could go to…" She said awkwardly. She glanced at Derek who was staring at her questioningly. He knew her well enough to know that she was up to something. "Chapters?" _Across the mall, away from teeny-bopper-bullies_. Casey saw the recognition hit him. "There's this new book I've been wanting to get."

"Yeah!" Derek said, a little too eagerly, "Chapters! Great idea, Case." It was clearly the wrong thing to say. It was probably one of the first times (if not _the_ first time) Derek had ever called one of Casey's ideas 'great.' The look of bewilderment on Nora's face might have been amusing in another context, but Casey was in a big rush to get out of there. What if the group of kids came out and mentioned something to her mom? That certainly wouldn't end well. Apparently, Derek had reached the same conclusion.

" _You_ want to go to Chapters, Derek?" Nora questioned, "Why?"

 _Oh god! Lets just get out of here._ Casey looked behind her. She didn't see the group of kids anywhere, but they could come out any minute.

"Let's not look a gift horse in the mouth, mom." Casey forced a fake laugh, trying not to sound nervous, but coming across totally frantic as she made a transparently dismissive gesture.

"Okay then, Chapters it is!" Nora said cheerfully, thoughtlessly unaware of the secret conversation happening between Casey and Derek, or their eagerness to leave. "Does that work for you, Emily?"

"Absolutely!" Emily chimed quickly, looking between Casey and Derek. Unlike Nora, Emily could always read the subtext of a room. "What are we waiting for?" She laughed lightheartedly as she began skipping away toward the book store. As usual, Casey was very thankful for her best friend.

On their stroll across the mall, Casey looked over at Derek. His hands were dug deep into his pockets and he glared at the floor in front of each step. Noticing Casey's inquisitive stare out of the corner of his eye, Derek cast her a sideways glance. His expression softened slightly, and Casey was surprised by the slight smile he gave her. She wished she could know what was going on in his head—the man was a complete mystery.

 _Uh…okay_ , Casey chastised herself, _apparently, I think of Derek as a man now?_ They _were_ almost eighteen, so it wasn't _that_ weird…right?

The bookstore was Casey's happy place. She loved the feeling of a new book in her hands, the shape, the texture, and the stories within. Casey could spend hours looking at books, imaging her dream home-library—like Belle's from Beauty and the Beast. Unfortunately, the bookstore didn't provide her with any peace today. Her eyes glossed over the spines of the books in the fiction section with disinterest. The store was huge, so Casey was able to wander around and avoid running into Derek. But she couldn't avoid him entirely since he was all she could think about. All her thoughts would inevitably lead back to him…Derek and the rumor, Derek and her dreams, Derek and the stupid crush she had on him, and Derek and his stupid cute stupid face. All the thinking about Derek made Casey angry with herself. She was supposed to be a strong independent woman—as cliché as that might sound. She wasn't supposed to be hung up on some guy! Especially not _Derek_! It was just that everything was so confusing and complicated. Her feelings were confusing and complicated. _Derek_ was confusing and complicated!

Casey was so lost in thought, she neglected to look where she was going, slamming into a man in one of the isles, causing his books to tumble out of his arms.

"I'm so sorry!" Casey gasped, as she frantically collected his books from the floor. "I should really watch where I'm going, sir. I didn't mean to…" She inspected one of the books, turning it over in her hands. It was a graphic novel with a powerful looking heroine on the cover surrounded by a mob of grotesque little monsters. The other books were graphic novels as well. For some reason, this caught Casey's attention, and she paused to look at them in more detail, forgetting for a moment how rude she was being. She looked up at the person who she so thoughtlessly rammed into, who was now down at her level.

 _Of course, just my luck! Who else would it be?_

Derek grinned in arrogant amusement at the look on Casey's face. He was never going to let her live this down. The whole situation seemed ridiculous to Casey. The irony was staggering, as though the universe were teasing her. Everything always led back to him in the most insane way possible. She wasn't sure if she wanted to cry or run away. Maybe she could yell at Derek—it would probably make her feel better. She could use a good Derek fight right about now to remember why he was the 'bane-of-her-existence,' or whatever she used to call him…set the earth back on its proper axis.

* * *

In Derek's mind, the only book worth reading was a graphic novel. Of course, other books were important or whatever, but they just couldn't capture his interest. Any time he was forced to read a regular novel, his eyes would slide over the words and the meaning would be lost to him. But graphic novels were art. Upon entering the bookstore, Derek made a beeline to the only section that mattered.

He browsed the section and found a few things that didn't suck. One graphic novel in particular stood out to him. The heroine on the cover looked familiar. She had long brown hair and piercing blue eyes. Derek frowned at the beautiful determined woman. He flipped through the book, studying the striking heroine plastered across every page. He knew who the character reminded him of. It bothered him to the ends of the earth that Casey could wander so easily into his thoughts at any moment. She was the first person to ever have that kind of effect on him, and he wasn't sure what it meant—only that it freaked him the fuck out. As freaked out as he was by Casey, and how much he was thinking about her, Derek couldn't help but feel annoyed that their time had been cut short by a group of dumb kids. He was about to accuse her of dreaming about him! What would have happened if they hadn't been interrupted? What would her reaction have been? Maybe it was a good thing they were interrupted…After all, what if Casey _hadn't_ been dreaming about him? What if the suggestion totally grossed her out? What if she freaked out and slapped him? What if—

 _OOF!_

Somebody crashed into Derek from the side and the graphic novel he had been staring at tumbled to the floor, along with everything else he had been holding.

"I'm so sorry!" He heard. He would recognize that voice anywhere. Derek looked down, and sure enough…there was Casey, frantically picking up the books from the floor. Typical. "I should really watch where I'm going, sir. I didn't mean to…"

 _Sir?_ Of course, it had a certain ring to it, but Casey would _never_ call him _sir_! At least, not on purpose. Casey had rammed right into him, and she didn't even realize it was him! She clearly thought he was some random stranger that she almost bulldozed in the middle of the store. It was the most… _Casey_ thing to have ever happened. He insisted to himself that it was annoying rather than adorable. Derek kneeled to her level. The look on her face was going to be priceless!

When Casey looked up at him, Derek saw her shock settle in. He contained his laugher, hoping to drag moment out for as long as possible to have the greatest effect. She blinked at him and he could almost see the gears turning in her head. He saw her face starting to turn a different shade due to holding her breath.

" _Sir_?" Derek teased, raising an eyebrow at her.

To Derek's absolute shock, Casey let out a sputtering laugh, bringing her hand up to her mouth to stifle the sound. It was an out of control laugher that he had never heard from her before. He wondered if she had lost her damn mind, but her laugher was so contagious that his own boiled up and out of his lips. Casey _never_ lost control like this. Derek was completely taken by those rare moments when she was free from her reservations; those moments where Casey stopped giving a crap about what she was _supposed_ to do, and just _lived_. It was frustratingly attractive. Casey's beauty both frightened and elated him as he laughed along with her. Casey was lost in the moment…and so was Derek.

"I'm sorry!" Casey wheezed through her uncontrollable giggles, placing a hand on his knee. It was a gesture that Derek was used to receiving from girls when they flirted with him. When Casey did it in such a casual way, it was dizzying. "It's just so…" Casey gasped, "And you…and—AHAHAHA!"

Derek grinned, and with each laugh they leaned closer to each other. It was so comfortable, like it happened every day. It was almost as though Casey was just any other girl. But, Casey was _not_ just some girl—not even close! Somehow, Derek was simultaneously in his element, and way out of his normal comfort zone. He was surprised by how ordinary it felt when Casey leaned back onto his shoulder, supporting herself from her crippling laugher. It was ordinary but extraordinary. He just felt light and happy…all kinds of sappy shit. He felt so content that he couldn't even question how wrong it probably was to feel this way with her. Casey was so carefree and joyful, and after all the crap she had been going through, Derek knew she needed to laugh like this. It was unusual for him to care so much about someone else's happiness.

 _Damn it, Casey, what are you doing to me?_ Casey's head was thrown back in her fit of giggles and Derek was distracted by her mouth as she laughed musically.

"Oh my god, Case," Derek laughed, "You have no idea how hard it is not to tease you right now!" Of course, making fun of her was probably the last thing on his mind. In truth, Casey had no idea how hard it was for him not to _kiss_ her right now. She pulled away from his shoulder and he felt his stomach drop, worrying that he had accidentally upset her and ruined the moment. But, Casey grinned playfully at him.

"I will allow you _one_ Klutzilla joke." Casey laughed, "One!"

"Oh?" Derek smirked devilishly, "You'll _allow_ me, will you?" Derek's arms wrapped around Casey's waist and he started tickling her. As she tried to escape, he held her closely.

"Der-ek!" She giggled, out-of-breath. He could hear the smile in her voice. "Sto-op!" Casey was basically in his lap at this point. Somehow, she managed to turn, partially facing him, sending her own slender fingers to assault his ribs with merciless tickles. Derek leaned back, trying to escape her attack.

"Oh my!" A voice sounded from above them. Casey disentangled herself from Derek as they both regarded the shocked elderly woman staring down at them, her hand to her throat as though she were clutching her pearls. Casey shrunk into the bookcase like a scolded child. The woman shook her head, her look of surprise melting away. "Well don't stop on my account!" She laughed reminiscently "I wouldn't want to stand in the way of young love." The woman stepped around them carefully and made her way through the isle.

"Love?" Casey whispered, astonished.

Derek had a string of (almost) words he prepared to sling at the old woman. _She…I…we—Casey? Step-sister…L-l-l-l-l-ove?_ The thoughts escaped him as he stared at the woman's retreating waddle.

Standing up, Derek extended his hand to Casey. She stared up at his outstretched offer of assistance with hesitation. He was suddenly aware of how out-of-character all of this was for them. Was this…friendship? That's what it was supposed to be, after all. It certainly wasn't _love_! To even _suggest_ that was just…crazy.

 _Stupid crazy old lady…no idea what she's talking about!_

Tentatively, Casey slipped her hand into Derek's and he yanked her up from the floor. She straightened out her clothes and mumbled a quick thank you. The awkwardness was palpable.

"So…that was…" Casey trailed off.

"Fun." Derek said, "That was _fun_ , Case." He gave her a very platonic nudge to the ribs. "You _have_ heard of _fun_ , right?" It didn't slip Derek's attention that his teasing remarks were starting to sound more and more affectionate.

Maybe this friendship thing wasn't such a great idea, after all.


	29. Princess Bookworm

**Chapter 29:** Princess Bookworm

* * *

"Are you seriously getting _all_ of those?" Derek asked disbelievingly, eyeing the significant mountain of books. As the girl at the register rung Casey up, Derek counted seven. Seven whole books. Derek wasn't even sure if he had read seven books in his whole _life_.

"Yes." Casey said, proudly punching in her PIN as she paid for her excessive purchases. "I've decided to create a summer reading list for myself! I've got a few classics, plus some new books I've been curious about lately."

"Sounds like a blast…" Derek mumbled. He would never understand why Casey always seemed so eager to waste her free time. He could think of much more… _entertaining_ ways to spend the summer.

"It will be!" Casey assured defensively, as the cashier handed her the hefty bag of books.

"Have a great day!" The cashier smiled politely.

'I will!" Casey said confidently, casting a smug look to Derek. "Oh, I mean…" Casey corrected herself clumsily, "Thanks! You too!"

Derek chuckled at Casey's awkwardness as he made his way up to the counter. The pretty cashier smiled up at him through her lashes

"Hi…" She greeted flirtatiously, "Did you find everything you were looking for today?"

Derek slipped into his signature smirk, the cashier was laying it on quite obviously, her voice lingering suggestively on each word. Out of the corner of his eye, Derek saw Casey tapping her foot irritably. An insane thought popped into his head and refused to budge.

 _Casey is jealous!_ Even though Derek knew it was a long-shot, he figured it couldn't hurt to test out the theory.

"Now I have…" He said smoothly, evoking a blush from the cashier.

"Der-ek!" Casey barked impatiently, "Can you please hurry this up, so we can get out of here?"

"I'm not the one who bought seven books, Princess." Derek defended, "Plus, I'm just being polite! I wouldn't want to be rude to…" Derek inspected the cashier's name tag, "Suzie here." He cast Suzie a flirty wink.

"Der-ek!" Casey repeated, more urgently. "Emily and my mom are waiting for us!"

"Fine," Derek said. He wasn't sure if Casey was jealous or not, but to Derek's delight, his flirting with the cashier _did_ seem to bother her. "Just this, thanks," He said to Suzie, placing the graphic novel on the counter, face-down to hide Casey's doppelganger.

As they left the store, Casey sighed. "Do you _really_ have to flirt with _every_ girl you cross paths with, Derek?"

"Just the good-looking ones." He clarified smugly. Casey was seeming more and more jealous by the minute. Derek hoped he wasn't just reading into things…the thought of Casey being jealous intrigued him to an indescribable degree.

Casey scoffed. "Ugh…pig."

Ignoring Casey's comment, Derek pulled his receipt out of his shopping bag. He was sure the cashier must have passed along her number. Even though the one girl he wanted was untouchable, it was nice to know he still had his charms. Sure enough, written in flowery handwriting on the bottom of the receipt was Suzie's phone number:

 _If Princess Bookworm isn't your girlfriend, give me a call ;) 519-555-9645_

Derek almost lost his footing. First the rumor…then the old lady…now this? Come to think of it, people had been accusing him and Casey of dating ever since their parents got married. Why was the entire damn world so convinced they were together?

"So, I take it she gave you her number?" Casey rolled her eyes. Derek crumpled the receipt into a ball and threw it back in the bag.

"Nope."

"Aww!" Casey laughed mockingly, "So much for Derek Venturi being able to get any girl he wants! I guess you can't win 'em all, eh D?"

 _No kidding_.

"Who said I wanted her?" He mumbled bitterly, too quietly for Casey to hear.

"There you are!" Nora called as they approached, "Emily and I were about to call a search party!"

"Yeah well… _Princess Bookworm_ over here decided to buy out the whole store," Derek said, referring to Casey by her new nickname without thinking.

" _Yeah_? Well _Derek_ thought he would waste time _flirting_ with the cashier!" Casey retorted defensively. They so easily slipped into old habits. _So much for friendship_. It was too natural for them to resort to fighting. They each had a constant need to one-up one another and gain the upper hand. It was a comfortable constant for them and they couldn't exist outside of it for too long without changing the entire nature of their relationship. And that would never happen _—could_ never happen.

"I wouldn't call flirting with a hot chick a waste of time." Derek fired back, hoping he was feeding the flames of Casey's jealousy (if those flames indeed existed).

"Maybe it wouldn't have been such a waste of time if she actually gave you her number!" Casey laughed shortly, "Losing your _touch_ , Derek?"

He wasn't sure if Casey was only upset with him for calling her Princess Bookworm, or if she was upset because he flirted with the cashier. He hoped it was the latter. Either way, Casey's comment struck a nerve. Derek hadn't been focusing on chasing girls since developing feelings (or whatever) for Casey. After all, he had only flirted with the cashier to make Casey jealous! It was like the only girl in the world who was relevant anymore was _her_. And when it came to Casey, Derek had _no_ idea what he was doing. Maybe he _was_ losing his touch…

"Wouldn't _you_ like to know?" Derek countered suggestively, in a momentary lapse of judgement.

Casey scoffed, "What does that even—"

"So, where to next?" Emily interrupted. It seemed like, for whatever reason, he and Casey always got interrupted when things started crossing a line. The interruptions were frustrating, but they also provided a certain safety. Derek was relieved by Emily's interruption this time—he had accidentally pushed things in a flirtier direction, and he wouldn't have been prepared to be called out on it. But still, Derek wondered what could possibly happen without any of these interruptions. What was beyond that line they kept dancing on?

Maybe he would find out soon...


	30. Lying by Omission Part 1

**Chapter 30:** Lying by Omission: Part One

* * *

"Okay…" George said, running his hands through his hair tiredly, "Explain this to me _one_ more time. _What_ happened?"

Even though George was only getting part of the story, Casey couldn't blame him for needing a second run-through; she was having a hard time absorbing it all herself. Derek sighed impatiently, wincing at the pain it caused him as he started re-explaining what happened. Casey wished she could sit closer to Derek on the couch. After all, he had really gone to bat for her, and she wanted to show the same support for him. But the tension in the room wouldn't allow for it, and honestly…Casey had no idea where she stood with Derek anymore. It was like the entire rule-book of their relationship had been tossed out of the window. She perched on the opposite side of the couch with her body angled as far away from him as possible.

Derek's retelling of the story was essentially one giant lie by omission. George got all the necessary information, completely on a need-to-know basis. For example, George _didn't_ need to know how jealous it made Casey that Derek flirted with some random cashier. _Derek_ didn't need to know that _either_. Casey was doing some major lying by herself—constantly masking her feelings for Derek. George _also_ didn't need to know that his son and his step-daughter were rumored to be sleeping together—George _definitely_ didn't need to know _that_! And that was the _true_ beginning of the story; the beginning which Derek skipped in his retelling.

Casey walked through the mall, fuming, lugging around her giant bag of books. She was annoyed with Derek for teasing her; their act of friendliness had slipped. But mostly, she was just mad about 'Suzie'. She knew she wasn't _supposed_ to be mad. It's not like Derek knew how it made her feel (thank goodness). So, even though it _felt_ like Derek was purposefully torturing her by flirting with the cashier, Casey knew that Derek was just being Derek. He flirted with girls _all the time_ —that was his _thing_! She shouldn't have expected any different. But, she couldn't help how it made her feel! The only silver lining was that Derek hadn't scored the girl's phone number. At least she wouldn't have to deal with him hogging the phone all night talking to _Suzie,_ while she stared at the stupid wall between them, trying not to let it bother her (and failing miserably).

Lost in thought, Casey would have missed the obvious, had Emily not smacked her in the arm. "What?" Casey hissed. Emily discreetly pointed ahead. Casey stopped in her tracks so suddenly that Derek nearly slammed into her from behind.

"Hey!" He complained, "Watch where you're—" He trailed off as he noticed what Emily was pointing at.

Standing in the entryway to Staples (aka, the last destination on their list before heading home), was none other than the group of teeny-bopper-bullies. It occurred to Casey that to get into the store, they would have to walk right past the little jerks…and there was no way they could slip by without receiving any teasing comments.

Trailing a few feet behind, Nora had noticed their sudden stop. "Something wrong?" She asked.

"N—no!" Casey squeaked, "Nothing's _wrong_ , I was just thinking…" She stalled, trying to think of a way to keep Nora away from the rumors. "You don't have to come into the store with us mom."

Nora raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Why not?"

"Well…" Casey shrugged, "I know you have been wanting to check out that sale on maternity clothes, and I figure I know enough about school supplies to make sure Derek and I are both covered for University."

"I _am_ sick of wearing frocks…" Nora mused, looking down at her baggy attire.

"Really." Casey assured, "We'll be fine."

Nora pursed her lips and hummed, considering Casey's suggestion. "Okay. We'll meet back here when we're done?"

"Okay!" Casey chirped, surprised and relieved that her plan worked.

They walked into Staples with the glares of judgy teens boring into them. But, that's not the version Derek told George.

"So, we went into Staples…" Derek explained.

"While Nora was at the maternity store?" George asked for clarification, "Don't leave anything out."

"Yeah" Derek said, "So Casey just threw a tonne of crap into the cart. You know, like school supplies. Pens, paper, highlighters, binders, sticky notes, markers…"

"Derek…" George warned.

"What?" Derek groaned innocently, "you _said_ don't leave anything out."

George pinched the bridge of his nose, "Derek, this is serious."

Derek sighed "Okay, okay…Casey threw all that stuff in the cart, and we paid for it and left. We really weren't in there for very long."

Sure, everything Derek said was true, but he had left out some important context. The reason Casey had rushed around the store 'throwing a tonne of crap into the cart' was because she wanted to get away from the adolescent bullies who were following them around and making snide remarks about their alleged relationship. That fun little detail didn't qualify as 'need-to-know'. Ironically, they had to leave out _a lot_ of the story.

"Okay." George said, "So what happened next?" Casey felt her stomach turn as she recalled the events that truly transpired.

She couldn't wait to get out of that store and away from the bullies. Everything they said made her feel completely insecure. It hurt to hear comments saying they were 'disgusting' or 'incestuous'. It caused her a sickening feeling of guilt for having secret feelings for Derek. Worst of all, the comments made Casey feel resigned…knowing that she could never _actually_ be withDerek because of how much people would judge them. Imagine the terrible treatment their entire family would attract if they were to _actually_ date. It's not even that she _wanted_ to be with Derek—she honestly didn't know _what_ she wanted. Maybe in an _ideal_ world she would want to be with him. That thought was scary enough without all the added complications that came with real life. In real life, it could never happen…

As they left the store, the teens followed them, hurling final insults.

"Aw! Time to go home to the incestuous Brady Bunch!" One teen whined.

"More like the incestuous Addams Family!" Another cackled.

Casey spun on her heel furiously. "Why can't you just leave us alone?"

The teens laughed. "Oh my god…" One of them said.

"Do you _want_ to be bullies?" Casey questioned them, "Is that _seriously_ what you want out of your lives? Does bringing other people down make you feel better about yourselves? Why can't you just be decent people and mind your damn business!"

The teens weren't even looking at her anymore. Instead they were looking over her shoulder, whispering amongst themselves, with mocking grins plastered on their smug little faces.

"What?!" Casey screeched, turning back around to see what they were looking at.

Every last molecule of air squeezed out of Casey's lungs. She felt like she was going to choke or throw up…or both. She felt a steadying grasp on her arm and she realized she was having a hard time standing on her own, like her joints were being weighed down by bricks. She dropped her heavy book bag with a loud CLUNK.

"T—Truman." She mustered, regarding the infuriatingly casual figure in front of her.

"Casey." Truman said with an eerily cheerful tone, smiling crookedly. Casey felt the grip on her arm tighten. She realized that it was Derek steadying her, and that she was leaning into him heavily. Emily stepped in front of her, protectively. Casey gathered her strength and pushed herself upright, her wobbly knees barely supporting her. Derek hesitantly let her pull away.

"What are you doing here?" She asked pointedly. The edge to her voice seemed to convince her knees to stop shaking.

"What do you mean?" Truman asked innocently, taking a step towards her. "Can't a guy enjoy a little shopping spree every now and then?" His advance prompted Casey to step away from him. She collided back into Derek, who stood still as a statue.

"Why don't you just turn around and leave, Truman?" Emily interjected as he approached.

"Ah, Emily." Truman acknowledged, "Always the third wheel." Emily crossed her arms and glared at him icily. "And of course, there's _you_ Derek." Truman smirked. "Why don't the two of you give Casey and I a little privacy?"

Derek scoffed. "Like _that's_ going to happen." Casey could feel the deep rumbling of his chest against her shoulder blades.

"And here _I_ was hoping for some one-on-one." Truman directed at Casey. "You're late by the way."

"Late?" Casey questioned.

"Yeah…" Truman said, "I was really starting to believe that you had stood me up, but it turns out you're just absurdly late!"

Casey's jaw dropped. _He's not…serious…right?!_ She honestly couldn't tell, and that terrified her. She could feel Derek behind her and could sense his anger. The air around her felt like it was crackling with activity—like it would explode into action at any moment.

"That's a sick joke, Truman." Derek grumbled.

"No, no." Truman said firmly, his cheerful façade slipping away to reveal bitterness, " _This_ is the sick joke!" He gestured to Casey and Derek. "Not that I buy it for a second. I know you two aren't _actually_ together."

"I don't care _what_ you believe.' Casey said bluntly, crossing her arms over her chest. She had a lot more strength of character than she thought. "You're not my boyfriend anymore, Truman!" Whether he had been joking or not, Truman was going to get it through his thick skull that she did _not_ belong to him. "My life, and what I do…is none of your business!"

"You mean _who_ you do?" Truman laughed, cocking his head to smirk at Derek. "I certainly do _not_ concern myself with _that_."

"Good! Because—" Casey said, as Truman interrupted.

"I know I don't have to worry about that." He sneered, "Everyone knows the _princess_ doesn't put out!"

Casey felt tears welling up in her eyes, and her knees grew weak again. She wanted to crumple and hide within herself. She thought she could be strong and tell Truman to go away and leave her alone, stand tall and unaffected, but she just felt trapped—helpless. Truman wanted to make her feel like crap, and he was succeeding. Even though Casey knew in her heart that her lack of sexual experience didn't affect her worth, it still bruised her. It was like a reminder of how much it mattered to Truman, and to other guys. Truman hadn't been the first boyfriend of hers to want more from her, and they always made her feel like she wasn't good enough, and that to be worth their time, she had to have sex with them. But it was all the pressure that dissuaded her from 'putting out' in the first place! Maybe all guys were like that. One day, she would have to give up and just get it over with, while some self-satisfied douchebag has his way with her. Or…she could just be lonely forever! At least, those felt like her only options at this point.

"How _dare_ you?" Emily suddenly pounced forward, charging Truman. Truman ducked and blocked Emily's fists as she pounded them into his chest. He grabbed her wrists to prevent the onslaught, though she put up a good fight. "What. Did. I. Say. Truman!" Emily yelled as she was suddenly pulled away from him.

Derek dragged Emily away in a bear hug as she struggled to break free and get at least one good hit in. A few people passing by slowed down and stared with gasping expressions. Truman chuckled with smug amusement.

"Emily… _Emily_!" Derek reasoned, setting her down cautiously as she started to calm down.

"Fine… _fine_!" Emily said, brushing Derek off. She took a second to compose herself, "I'm good. I'm good."

"What? That's it?" Truman grinned.

"He's not worth it." Emily reminded herself.

"Let's just go." Casey said breathily, stunned by the altercation. All she wanted to do was get away from Truman, and hopefully prevent any more brawling. She turned to leave, and Emily followed suit. Derek watched Truman intently, arms crossed.

"Derek." Casey said, looking up at him, trying to get his attention, but his gaze was still locked on Truman. "Derek!" Casey said again. Derek reluctantly tore his attention from Truman and looked down at her. He rolled his eyes slightly and let out a frustrated sigh.

"Fine." He said, ushering Casey with him as he turned away from Truman. Emily lent a helping hand by grabbing Casey's enormous bag of books off the floor.

Derek only led her a few steps away before Truman felt the need to let out one last quip. "Good luck finding a guy who wants to date a nun!"

Casey felt Derek's hand disappear from her back as he groaned and turned around once more to glare at Truman. "Casey doesn't _need_ luck to find a guy." He assured.

"No?" Truman laughed

"No." Derek said firmly. Casey stood by Derek's side, looking up at him in shocked confusion. He smirked, "Because you're wrong."

Truman's stupid grin faltered. "About what?"

Casey's eyes widened as Derek wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her tightly into his side. She reflexively leaned into him, her hand itching to run along the muscles of his back.

"The rumors are true." Derek smirked, "Casey and I _are_ together. She's my girlfriend."


	31. Lying by Omission Part 2

**Chapter 31:** Lying by Omission: Part Two

 **Author's Note (minor spoiler):** A certain plot point introduced in this chapter is inspired by a Dasey story by bsloths entitled _The Casey Jar_. It is adapted for the purposes of this story, but I need to credit the original idea to bsloths because I thought it was very creative and sweet, so I wanted something similar in my story.

* * *

George asked for the _whole_ story, and he received…well, pretty much nothing in comparison. There were so many things that Derek couldn't tell his dad (basically, everything concerning him and a certain keener).

Derek lied to his dad all the time (he lied all the time, period); he easily slipped in and out of the truth. But for some reason, the stakes felt higher this time, like if the truth were to come out, the web would unravel into something messy and horrifying. As serious as George insisted the situation was, Derek simply couldn't risk the truth.

"Truman was just…there. It was like he was waiting for us." Derek explained, his tone laced with disdain.

Nora interjected worryingly, "How did he know you would be there?"

Of course, Derek had his theories. One: Truman was a psycho (but Derek already knew that). And two: Pesky adolescent cruelty mixed with the magic of technology.

It was no wonder that the photos of him and Casey at the mall had spread rampantly. It was a peer eat peer world and Derek was no longer untouchable it seemed—and from 9th graders, no less. Derek figured Truman saw the pictures and seized his opportunity. But, it's not like he could actually _say_ that!

Like: 'Oh…how did he know we would be there, you ask? Well, funny story! A bunch of kids followed us around taking photos and sending them to all their friends because they think Casey and I are _dating_! Isn't that hilarious? Also…we are! Dating. Just kidding…or maybe not.'

Derek shrugged and mumbled, "i-unno."

"So, what did Truman _do_?" George prompted, "Did he say anything?"

"He seemed to think Casey was still his girlfriend or something" Derek said, "It was really weird." He had made it pretty damn clear to Truman that Casey belonged to someone _else_ now.

 _Shit_ _!_ Derek thought. _This whole girlfriend thing makes everything…weird—er_. He was highly aware of the distance between him and Casey on the couch. It seemed like she wanted to be as far away from him as possible.

Casey laughed scornfully, speaking up for the first time in the conversation, "He said I was absurdly late for our date. A date that I never attended because it obviously no longer existed!"

"Yeah. And that's pretty much the only thing Truman said that can even be repeated out loud." Derek said sarcastically, the truth of the statement doubling as a convenient excuse to avoid sharing too many details with George. "The stuff he was spewing was so messed up, I don't want to say any of it. Emily nearly tore his head off because of what he said!"

"What did she do?" George interrogated, "Did she attack him?"

"Nah, not _really_ " Derek said, "She just sorta flailed at him like a maniac for a second before I _heroically_ pulled her off."

George crossed his arms. "So…you pulled Emily off of Truman, and you decided to have a go at him _yourself_?"

" _No_ …" Derek rolled his eyes, "We went to leave, but as we were walking away, Truman kept running his mouth!"

"So _that's_ when you punched him?" George asked with irritated disbelief.

Looking down at the bag of frozen peas resting on his bruised knuckles, Derek sighed, "Yeah." Sure, it skipped over quite a lot of the story, but none of it was safe to tell George anyway. _Especially_ the whole… _girlfriend_ thing.

He hadn't _planned_ on calling Casey his girlfriend, it just…happened. He wanted to put Truman in his place and wipe away his disturbing grin. Most of all, the rat needed to leave Casey the fuck alone.

Initially, it had triggered the desired effect. The rat (officially his new name) was visibly shaken, regarding Derek's arm around Casey's waist.

"Girlfriend?" Truman asked, his eyebrows knitting together into a confused and angry knot.

"Yeah," Derek said. "Girlfriend."

"Wh—what?" Truman shook his head skeptically, but his eyes were trained on Casey, noticing how comfortably she was glued to Derek's side. Derek hadn't expected Casey to act so naturally either. He was having a hard time staying focused on Truman while Casey's hand was sliding up and resting on his back. Was she…playing with the fabric of his t-shirt?

"Casey's my girlfriend…I'm her boyfriend…" Derek drawled, as though he were talking to a particularly stupid six-year-old. "Do you need me to slow it down even _more_ for you?"

"No…" Truman said, shaking himself from a daze. "No, I don't believe you! The rumors started when people misinterpreted what happened at my party. They were _just rumors_! You weren't _actually_ together!"

"You're right," Derek smirked, "We _weren't_ together. _Then_."

Truman's face reddened. "You've both been denying the rumors this entire time!" He accused.

"We wanted to keep it hush hush." Derek narrowed his eyes challengingly.

"Yeah, _Der_." Casey said, nudging him and giving him a look that screamed ' _what are you doing?_ ' "What happened to us not telling anyone?" The slight curl of her lip, and the mischievous glint in her eye showed him that she was willing to play along.

"Sorry Case, he wouldn't let up!" Derek said, looking down at her charmingly. He was surprised by how receptive she was to him—leaning into him comfortably, like it was a completely normal thing for her to do. "Besides, nobody believes us anyway. Everyone already _knows_ we're together."

Casey sighed. "I guess you're right," She smiled up at him through her eyelashes. Derek was thoroughly impressed by Casey's commitment to the bit. For a fraction of a second, he could have sworn it was all real.

It still couldn't convince Truman. "No!" He said, exasperated, "No way! If that was true, Emily wouldn't be here! Let me get this straight…You expect me to believe that Emily's _boyfriend_ leaves her for her _best friend_ …her best friend who just so happens to be his _step-sister_ , and she's totally okay with it? There's no _way_ she could possibly be okay with _that_!"

"I'm more than _okay_ with it!" Emily snorted, "Anyone can see that they're perfect for each other! This was a _long_ time coming." Curiously, it sounded like she really believed it. All in all, it was a convincing show. Truman's fists balled up at his sides, his expression showing that he finally fell for the trick.

"And it's all thanks to _you_ ," Derek smirked at Truman's red shaking face, rubbing it in. He unwrapped himself from Casey and took a step closer; he wanted to see the rat squirm. "If you hadn't taken yourself out of the picture by being such a massive douche, Casey and I wouldn't be together!"

"Oh, don't thank me!" Truman sneered, "Thank Casey! None of this would have happened if she hadn't've been such a massive _cock tease_!"

And _that's_ when Derek punched him. Right in the nose. Some unknown force took control of Derek's arm and lobbed it at Truman's unsuspecting face. The crack he heard was weirdly satisfying as his knuckles connected. Pain splintered through his hand, but he didn't care. Truman stumbled back, clutching his face, unable to contain the blood spilling out from his nostrils.

"WHAT?!" A shrill scream rang behind Derek. He turned around to see Nora, stunned, dropping her shopping bags to the floor. A crowd of curious mall-goers had collected and were whispering among themselves. Derek was more concerned with Casey, standing frozen with an alarmed expression; her eyes connecting with his in a million silent questions that he couldn't comprehend.

While Derek wasn't looking, Truman slammed into him, tackling him to the ground. Thankfully, Derek was able to block the fist coming for his face, instead, catching it in the shoulder. Pinned, Derek was incredibly creeped out by Truman's deranged and bloody appearance. Derek shoved his opponent and rolled out from underneath him, clumsily standing back up. He readied himself as the rat clamored up as well.

"Enough!" Nora yelled, getting between them, "Pregnant woman here! Back off!"

Derek tried to shake the pain out of his hand as he avoided Nora's accusatory gaze. Truman sniffed and wiped the blood from his nose with the back of his wrist.

"Big mistake, Venturi." Truman threatened, jabbing his finger through the air at Derek as he quickly backed away and fled the scene.

Nora watched as Truman trailed off around the corner, and then whipped around to look at Derek. "What were you thinking?!"

Needless to say…the car ride home was incredibly awkward.

George wasn't too pleased either. "What were you thinking?!" He demanded. Derek shifted the bag of peas on his hand and scowled.

"I was _thinking_ he had it coming!"

"But, getting into a fight, Derek?" George shook his head, "I thought you knew better! What could Truman have said that would possibly justify that?"

Derek looked over at Casey. She was sitting normally on the couch now, rather than in the most distant corner. She was looking at him too, but she averted her gaze to the floor when their eyes met.

"He…" Derek mumbled, "Called Casey…something."

"What?" Nora asked.

Derek scoffed, "Nuh uh…you can't make _me_ say it!"

"Well, maybe if you wrote it down…" Nora suggested.

"Cock tease." Casey stated tearfully, "He called me a cock tease." The words were strange and foreign coming out of Casey's lips. Derek's stomach churned with loathing for the scum that directed those words at her.

"Oh my god." Nora gasped, bringing her hand to her chest, shocked by the sounds that came out of her innocent daughter's mouth. She grabbed onto George's arm for support.

"Oh…" George mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck "…Uh…"

"Please don't be mad at Derek!" Casey pleaded, "He was just standing up for me! You shouldn't punish him for that!"

At least Casey wasn't mad at him. But Derek wondered if it was becoming too obvious…if the truth would be exposed. Not regarding their nosey parents catching on to their lies (because honestly, who would jump to those insane conclusions?), but Casey catching on to his feelings. He called her his girlfriend for fuck sakes, and he acted all white-knight and defended her honor by punching her ex in the face. Hopefully, Casey wasn't connecting the dots.

"Well…uh…" George floundered. He looked over at Nora by his side and the two of them exchanged looks. Casey asking them _not_ to be mad at Derek was a first—as was Derek showing concern for Casey. Their silent conversation considered Casey's request. Nora seemed to know how she felt, looking at George pleadingly. George pressed his lips together and nodded subtly. "Okay…" He said softly to Nora. He looked down at Derek on the couch, "Okay."

Derek felt a weight lift off his shoulders.

"While I'm still disappointed that you would resort to violence in any given situation, Derek…" George sighed, "You were trying to do the right thing by standing up for your sister."

And suddenly, the weight was back.

Casey stared at the floor, wide-eyed, biting the inside of her lower lip. The lack of 'step' in George's label of their relationship clearly troubled her as well.

"Step-sister." Derek corrected, under his breath. He and Casey exchanged brief glances. So much for ' _same difference'_ , as Casey had once so eloquently put it, before any of this started; back when things had been relatively _normal_. They both knew it wasn't true anymore—it never was. The 'step' distinction was an important one.

The secrets Derek shared with Casey were unspoken between them. They both knew that George and Nora could never find out about the rumors, or the whole girlfriend thing, even though none of it was real, because they were step-siblings, and that made things _super weird_. The longer they waited, the weirder it would be to confess everything. They had _long_ passed the point of no return. They had no choice but to hide everything from George and Nora until the end of time.

Even though 'same difference,' was far, far, _far_ from the truth; out of the park, out of this word, out of this _universe_ —from the truth…Derek had to pretend otherwise. How else could he explain his actions? He showed everyone a glimpse of his cards. He showed that he cared about Casey. If he didn't care for her as a sister (blech), then what did he care for her as? He didn't know how to explain his feelings, but he knew he had to hide them from Casey, and from the whole family. If any one of them were to start asking questions, they would just lead to more lies, and eventually something would give, and the web would unravel, and it would destroy everything. Nothing would ever be the same. _No one_ could know about his feelings for Casey.

 _Especially Casey,_ which was going to be difficult considering he called her his girlfriend in front of a whole bunch of people.

"You're not in trouble, Derek." George said, "But, this is very serious."

"I know." Derek sighed. This wasn't some minor mess up, it was a big deal, and he was lucky to get off scot-free.

"I'm sorry to say…" George said cautiously, "It's more serious than you think, son."

"What do you mean?" Casey asked nervously.

 _What could possibly make this situation any worse?_

"I received an email from Truman's father, Gideon French." George sighed, "He is a highly successful criminal defense lawyer, and he is threatening legal action."

"Legal action?" Derek asked irately, "For what?!"

"For breaking Truman's nose." George said sternly.

 _I broke his nose?_ Derek suppressed a smile—now was not the time. "Oh."

George crossed his arms and stared at Derek seriously, giving him the ' _you'd better pay attention right now_ ' face. "Mr. French _strongly_ requests that you leave Truman alone, or they will be filing a protection order and pressing charges."

"But Derek was just trying to protect me!" Casey defended.

"Yeah! If anyone should be getting a restraining order, its Casey!" Derek said angrily, "To stop Truman from harassing her!"

"Can—can I do that?" Casey asked hesitantly.

"Uh, well…we would have to take it to court, and we would have to provide evidence of the harassment." George said, "But yes, I suppose. Is that what you want to do?"

Casey frowned, "I don't know…what if it gets Derek into trouble? What if Truman retaliates by deciding to press charges?"

"It's definitely possible." George said. "Normally when two teens get into a fight, they'll just walk away with a warning. But given the circumstances, I would suggest we avoid going to court at all costs. Gideon French is…very good at his job." George wore his distaste for Gideon French prominently. As an underdog, environmental lawyer, George didn't think too fondly of his ruthless counterparts.

"So, what next?" Derek asked.

"Next, Derek…" George sighed, "You stay away from Truman French."

Derek nodded. "As long as he stays away from me and Casey, that won't be a problem."

"But for now, I don't know." George sighed, "Just…go to your room, I guess."

"But I thought I wasn't in trouble!" Derek protested.

"Derek." George insisted, "I've had enough for one night. Go to your room."

Children got sent to their rooms, and Derek was no child. But he knew better than to argue. "Fine," He sighed, rolling his eyes. Besides, he liked his room, so it wasn't much of a punishment anyway. Still, he slammed his door a little when he got up there.

Once he was alone in his room, he sighed deeply and inspected his aching hand. Purple bruises bloomed out from his knuckles. It was dumb luck that he didn't break anything. A janked up hand could have seriously messed up his hockey career, or his music career. Maybe he should avoid punching from now on…

Derek fell backwards onto his bed. He grimaced in discomfort as he realized he had landed on something. He sat up and grabbed the offending object. It was his shopping bag from the mall. He reached inside and pulled out the graphic novel he bought. The striking heroine mocked him—her resemblance to a certain keener was uncanny. Derek shook his head and placed the book on his nightstand. He reached back into the bag and pulled out the crumpled receipt.

 _If Princess Bookworm isn't your girlfriend, give me a call ;) 519-555-9645_

The word girlfriend stood out to Derek like a beacon. Was Casey his girlfriend? The entire world seemed to think so. Casey was his girlfriend in every way, except for in the way that mattered—the real way.

Derek crumpled up the receipt again. He walked across the room to the overflowing garbage bin beneath his desk. He held the crumpled receipt over the bin and hesitated. Some weird, sentimental part of him didn't want to throw it out. Not because he was ever going to call the girl whose number was written on it, but because it called Casey his girlfriend. Even though his relationship with Casey was completely fake, the receipt wasn't. It was real, in his hand, calling Casey _his_. He hadn't realized he wanted that so badly. Perhaps saying it out loud—having it, but not having it, made him figure out what he wanted. He wanted Casey. Maybe he wanted her because he couldn't have her. After all, if he and Casey dated for real it would be a disaster and everything else in his life would change drastically. The closest Derek could ever get to being Casey's boyfriend was through rumors and dreams.

So, it was decided. Derek was going to keep the receipt. But he needed a place to stash it, where it wouldn't get lost, and where Casey wouldn't accidentally find it. He spotted the decorative wooden box on his desk. It wasn't a particularly special box…just something he had owned for as long as he could remember, always sitting in his room. Its purpose had changed over the years. As a kid, it housed all the toys he collected from cereal boxes, but over time, it changed to be a general junk box. Derek grabbed the box and emptied its miscellaneous contents onto his floor—he would clean it up later he told himself, none of it was important anyway. He stuffed the receipt inside and returned the box to his desk.

Derek smiled wistfully, and immediately caught himself. He rubbed his smile off his face with his sore hand and sighed.

 _What has Casey done to me?_


	32. Practice Makes Perfect

**Chapter 32** Practice Makes Perfect

 **Author's note:** I thought I'd write a bit of a song-fic (just for the very beginning of this chapter), since that seems to be a thing, and lots of people like them. Figured I would try it out. I thought it would be a fun way to show Casey's character, the kind of music she likes, her feelings, and the year the story is set in. If you don't like song-fics, I promise the rest of the chapter is worth it.

 **Album** : Fearless by Taylor Swift

* * *

The volume on Casey's speakers was set as high as she could sensibly get away with at such a late hour. Everything in her life had morphed into chaos and there were simply too many things to worry about all at once. Casey desperately wanted to get out of her head. She needed to do the one thing that always helped her get back in tune with the world around her. Dance. Her current favorite album was already in the CD player.

To warm up, Casey started bopping along to the beat of the title track, _Fearless_. She gradually experimented with some hip movements, allowing herself to get lost in the music.

 _There's somethin' 'bout the way_

 _The street looks when it's just rained_

 _There's a glow off the pavement_

Utilizing the space around her, Casey glided throughout her room, hands increasingly exploring the air. She brought the beat through more parts of her body. She was starting to feel the freedom that dance brought to her, like a breath of fresh air. The uplifting melody of the song elevated her heart from the pit of her stomach. This was the first time in weeks she truly felt like herself. Casey ran her fingers through her hair, and a warm smile crept up on her. Her sense of normality was starting to return, and it was liberating.

 _Walk me to the car_

 _And you know I wanna ask you to dance right there_

 _In the middle of the parking lot_

 _Yeah_

Casey focused all her energy into connecting with the song and its emotional tone. She started throwing in some more complicated moves. She stepped out with one foot, doing a flowing turn, raising her opposing foot to her inside knee. She reached out in a yearning motion, and brought her hand back in to her chest, grasping at the air and balling her fist over her heart. She then tore her fist away and followed its momentum into another twirl. As the music swelled, Casey felt her worries slip away and she existed entirely in the beautiful moment.

 _We're drivin' down the road_

 _I wonder if you know_

 _I'm tryin' so hard not to get caught up now_

If Casey had been on the beautiful theatre stage of her dreams, she would have done a leap, but she had to be realistic in her bedroom. Still, even from dancing a mere suggestion of the movement, a rush flowed through her cathartically. This was exactly what she needed. Such a positive feeling felt strange inside of her; she had been feeling lost for so long.

Casey's feeling of freedom was fleeting, however, as something nervous pulsated within her. There was something about the song that nagged at the many worries she was running from, and her mind buzzed restlessly once again. She couldn't think of a next move. Casey suddenly didn't feel like dancing. She let out a frustrated puff of air. With one hand on her hip, she pushed the hair out of her face. All she had wanted was a moment of peace!

 _But you're just so cool_

 _Run your hands through your hair_

 _Absent mindedly makin' me want you_

Casey's muscles locked in place, as she inevitably, unwillingly thought of Derek. She looked at the wall that separated them. Whenever she looked at it, she became hyper aware of him. They were so near, yet so apart. The wall teased her. Casey wanted to be closer to Derek, both literally and figuratively. Not only did the wall act as a physical barrier, it acted as the world's most disheartening metaphor.

 _And I don't know how it gets better than this_

 _You take my hand and drag me head first_

 _Fearless_

Casey could _never_ have the closeness she begrudgingly craved with Derek. There was just too much keeping them apart; too many reasons why they could never be, even _i_ _f_ he ever felt the same way about her (which he never would).

 _And I don't know why but with you I'd dance_

 _In a storm in my best dress_

 _Fearless_

Casey frowned and walked over to her boombox to change the song. Dancing was _supposed_ to keep her mind off Derek and all her other worries, but it was having the opposite effect. Sighing, Casey skipped a couple songs ahead and tried again; this time, focussing more on the dance moves, and less on empathizing with the music. It wasn't working. She was having difficulty ignoring the lyrics as _Love Story_ played.

 _Romeo, take me somewhere we can be alone_

 _I'll be waiting, all that's left to do is run_

 _You'll be the prince and I'll be the princess_

 _It's a love story, baby just say yes_

Casey's concentration was ripped away again. The whole Romeo and Juliet, forbidden romance thing was not helping in the slightest.

 _So, I sneak out to the garden to see you_

 _We keep quiet 'cause we're dead if they knew_

 _So, close your eyes_

 _Escape this town for a little while_

With a frustrated growl, Casey turned the music off. The moment was ruined. She had wanted to escape for a little while, but there was no escape from _this_. Derek was 100% stuck on her mind.

He called her his _girlfriend_! It was pretty hard for her to ignore _that_ _!_ Hearing Derek say those words caused Casey a concoction of confusing and alarming emotions that she would rather not be having. Even though it wasn't real, it still gave her butterflies.

Despite her shock, Casey had gone along with it. She was about to be _destroyed_ by Truman—reduced to a puddle in the middle of the mall, but Derek took her side! He conspired with her to take Truman down! Perhaps _that's_ why Derek did it…because he didn't want Truman to have the last word. Any other possible reasons Derek had for calling her his girlfriend, were beyond her imagination.

On top of her keenness to take Truman down, Casey went along with Derek's ruse because it was nice to pretend it was real, if only for a moment. Of course, now that she looked back on it, Casey just felt sad…knowing it was all fake.

The punch wasn't fake though.

As much as Casey hated violence, she knew Truman had it coming to him. He deserved what he got, and more. Still, she wasn't sure why Derek would get so… _heated_. It looked too real to be an act.

Casey shuddered to imagine that Derek really _was_ standing up for her in a brotherly way like George suggested. If someone ever called Marti, or Lizzie something so crude and hurtful, Derek would probably punch that guy too. But if that was the reason, why would he bother to correct George?

 _Step-_ sister _._ Casey knew that when it came to her and Derek, there was a _big_ difference between sibling and _step_ -sibling. One time, Casey had accidentally called Derek her brother, and when he corrected her, she brushed it off, saying it was the _same difference_. It obviously _wasn't_ the same difference to Casey. But she had no idea how _Derek_ felt! What word would Derek use to classify their…relationship? Because Casey had no words. She couldn't let herself foolishly hope for any specific meaning behind Derek's actions. Whatever his motivations were, she would always be in left the dark. _Knowing_ would require _asking_.

What would she even ask him? _Hey, so do you see me as, like… err…family? Or…a friend? Enemy? Or…?_ That was off the table. Too risky. Asking him could expose her own feelings on the matter.

At least, if she knew, she could move on and get over this pathetic crush on her step-brother.

There was a certain…pull that took over Casey's senses; a powerful urge. Her mind screamed that it was probably a bad idea, but her legs wouldn't listen, obeying the urge immediately. She walked slowly out of her room, no longer in control of her body.

 _This is a really bad idea_ , Casey's thoughts insisted, as she found herself in front of Derek's door. She listened for a moment and heard muffled music coming from inside, suggesting Derek was awake. Casey wished Derek was sleeping…so that she wouldn't be doing this.

 _Knock knock_ …

The music beyond the door paused and Casey bit her lip anxiously. She heard some shuffling and seriously considered running back into her room and denying ever being at Derek's door in the middle of the night.

The door swung open and Derek appeared, wearing pajamas. His hair was adorably tousled. He seemed to be masking his surprise at Casey's out-of-character visit. A sickening regret enveloped Casey, but she swallowed her fear and stood her ground. Derek quickly looked over his shoulder into his room and narrowed the door so that he was halfway inside, as though he was hiding something behind him.

"What do you want?" He asked glibly.

Casey rolled her eyes at him.

She had arrived with no plan on what to say, and no expectations regarding Derek's reaction. But it would have been irrational for her to have predicted any kind of positive, _welcoming_ greeting from him. Even so, it frustrated her. Sometimes (very rarely), Derek would be open with her, but most of the time it seemed like he was talking to her from behind some fabricated emotional wall, built with indifference. All the lies were exhausting to maintain, and Casey was done beating around the bush.

In danger of giving herself away, Casey blurted frustratedly, "I want to know why you pulled that whole 'the rumors are true, Casey is my girlfriend' thing today!"

Derek's eyes went wide. He quickly poked his head into the hallway, looking for eavesdroppers. He steered Casey into the room by her shoulders and closed the door behind them.

"Are you _crazy_?" He asked in a hushed tone, motioning to his head in a 'cuckoo' gesture. "Do you _want_ the entire house to hear you?"

The purple bruises on Derek's knuckles attracted Casey's attention. She gasped, "Oh my gosh, Derek! Your hand!" She stepped closer, grasping his arm to take a better look, completely concentrated on his injuries. She lowered her voice, "It looks so much worse than I thou—"

Derek swiftly yanked his arm from Casey's grip, throwing it behind his back. "It's nothing."

"Der-ek!" Casey hissed. She was trying to get his arm back, but he kept turning around, keeping it from her. "Let me see!"

"Ca-sey!" Derek whined in protest, backing away from her. He narrowly avoided falling onto his bed as he bumped into it. He held up his other arm to keep Casey at bay.

"Do you want the entire house to hear you?" Casey teased, as she relentlessly followed him around the room. "Don't be such a baby, Derek! Let me see!"

"Nope." Derek raised his hand high above his head, where Casey couldn't reach. "Not happening."

Casey went for it anyway, as Derek leaned backwards, stretching his arm even higher. He laughed at her failed attempts.

"Very mature, Derek." Casey criticized. She switched tactics, giving him a playful glare, "You know…I'm not leaving here until you let me see it."

"Then I guess it's going to be a long night." He challenged.

Casey shifted her weight, quirking an eyebrow at Derek stubbornly, indicating she was in it for the long haul. He stared at her, trying to find her bluff.

"Like I said…" Derek rolled his eyes, reluctantly presenting Casey with his hand, "It's nothing. Don't worry about it."

Casey gently turned Derek's hand to inspect the damage. It looked painful. She was struck by the realisation that he did this for her; he got hurt…for _her_! Casey felt guilty about it, and she still couldn't understand why Derek would do such a thing. His fingertips tickled at her wrist and she tried not to blush. Sighing, she placed her other hand on top of his lightly.

"It's not nothing, Derek." She said softly, looking up at him.

He blinked down at her, and the two of them lingered for a moment. Casey knew she couldn't hold on to Derek's hand for too long or he would start to suspect something. She slowly let it drop.

"Thank you…" She said, "For having my back."

"Yeah, well…" Derek murmured hoarsely, "Truman's an asshole."

"That, he is." Casey smiled lightly, trying to hide the sadness in her eyes. Perhaps it was _that_ _simple_. Derek did it all because Truman deserved it. Maybe it wasn't even about her.

They remained in the intense moment together. Derek was still so close, looking down at her. Casey _had_ to break the tension between them, or else she would…

She didn't want to think about what she would do if she couldn't break the tension.

"I can't believe you broke his nose." Casey chuckled awkwardly, putting some distance between them, attempting to make it seem natural.

Derek laughed, the intensity between them breaking. "What can I say?" He shrugged, "The rat had it coming to him."

"Well…" Casey said, smiling bashfully, "You _know_ I'm not a supporter of violence. But in _this_ case, I'll make an exception."

"Casey McDonald, tolerating _violence_?" Derek teased, "I thought you were more of a…psychological warfare type."

"You're one to talk." Casey argued playfully.

The smile slipped from Casey's lips as she remembered why she was in Derek's room in the first place.

"Is that why you did it?" She asked, seriously.

Derek's smile fell too. He blinked. "Did…what?"

"Call me your girlfriend…" Casey said. "Psychological warfare?"

"Oh. Uh…" Derek cleared his throat. He ran his fingers through the hair at the back of his head. Casey couldn't help but think he looked really cute when he was embarrassed. She was starting to get her hopes up. Derek shrugged. "I guess so?"

Such a vague, dissatisfying answer needed further explanation. Casey eyed Derek questioningly, urging him to elaborate.

Derek rolled his eyes. "The creep clearly thought you still belonged to him. I was just setting the record straight." He cleared his throat again. "You know, that he doesn't _own_ you…or whatever." He averted his gaze from her.

Casey couldn't help but smile. She looked down at the floor, trying to hide it. "That's…surprisingly sweet, Derek."

"I mean, everyone already thinks we're together anyway." Derek shrugged it off, "I figured I could at least take advantage of these stupid rumors!"

Casey's heart sank, but she didn't let it show. Even though she secretly wished the rumors were true, she wanted them to go away just as badly as Derek did, if not more so. They complicated things and made it much harder to deal with her feelings for Derek. However, hearing Derek call the rumors stupid reminded Casey that for him, the rumors were just _wrong_ …disgusting even. After all, _why_ would he want people to think that he was dating his klutzy, grade-grubbing step-sister?

"We have been trying to get rid of the rumors for _weeks_!" Casey sighed. The rumors were making everything too painful. She wanted to move on. "We'll never get rid of them now."

"Not necessarily…"

Casey recognized Derek's tone; he had a plan. "What do you mean?" She probed.

"What if…instead of _denying_ the rumors," Derek suggested, "We use the rumor mill to our advantage?" His entire face lit up, like it always did whenever he formulated a brilliant (and usually reckless) scheme.

"Okay…" Casey was undeniably curious. "What did you have in mind?"

"What if we let everyone believe we're together?" Derek pitched, "We go on a few dates, give the people what they want…"

Casey's heart fluttered, and her stomach felt tingly. It almost sounded like Derek was asking her out.

Derek grinned mischievously, "And then, in a few weeks, we stage a disastrous public break up." He said, looking proud of himself.

Casey was stuck on the whole 'date' part of Derek's plan. "You…You want to go on a date with me?" She asked in astonishment.

"Dates." Derek corrected, and then, as an afterthought said, "Fake ones."

" _Why_?" She asked slowly.

" _Because_ …" Derek sighed impatiently, "If people see us out as a couple, and then watch us break up, they'll stop thinking we're together."

Truthfully, Casey was excited by the possibility of going on a date with Derek, even a fake one. She wanted to know what it would be like. But, she feared getting hurt. It would be…difficult (to say the least) for her to act like Derek's girlfriend and fight off her feelings. Derek's plan could be dangerous for her. She couldn't help but come up with excuses as to why it wouldn't work.

"But they'll still think we _were_ together, at one point." Casey argued, certain that Derek was overlooking that detail. There was no _way_ Derek would be okay with people thinking he had ever dated her.

"I can live with that." Derek shrugged, surprising her.

"Well… _I_ can't live with that! People don't just think we've been dating, Derek." Casey reminded, "They think we been having…" She couldn't bring herself to actually say the word 'sex' to him. "Girls can get a reputation!"

"Oh…Well, um…" Derek mumbled, "I'll tell everyone that we haven't, uh…you know. Yet."

Casey did her best not to over-analyze ' _yet'_. "Would they even believe you?" She asked skeptically.

"Of course." Derek laughed, "Nobody would expect a guy to lie and say he didn't when he did."

"I guess you're right." Casey snorted in annoyance at the reality of locker-room culture. "Are you sure it wont tarnish your bad boy reputation?"

"Ehhhh…" Derek considered, "I can live with that." He smirked, "Once a bad boy, always a bad boy, amiright?"

"Okay…But, wouldn't people…" Casey said, awkwardly, "Expect a certain level of…" She sighed, "Wouldn't people expect us to act like a _couple_ on these fake dates?" She kept looking for excuses _not_ to follow through with Derek's plan, but this excuse was tempting her in the other direction. Casey was sure Derek would shut everything down in disgust (which was her goal). But she didn't _want_ Derek to be disgusted by the idea of acting coupley with her.

"Probably."

Casey could feel her heart pounding in her ears. "W—Wouldn't that be a problem?" She wasn't sure what she wanted him to say. Did she want him to say _yes,_ and just forget about the whole plan? Or, did she want him to say _no,_ and open the door to something terrifying and exciting? Did _Derek_ want to act like a couple?

"Everyone knows I don't do PDA" Derek reminded.

Although Derek was answering Casey's questions, he wasn't giving her the answers she was looking for. She was trying to steer him in a certain direction, asking him questions without giving away what she really wanted to know.

"But, what if people get suspicious?" She probed, "What if they want us to…prove it, or something?"

Derek's confidence wavered. He contemplated his response for a moment. Casey was on pins and needles. The strange intensity between them was starting to return.

Derek eyed her carefully, "I can live with that, too."

Captivated by Derek's melt-worthy gaze, Casey was out of excuses.

"Okay." She said, "If we're going to do this…and I'm not saying we _are_ , then we have to be prepared. There needs to be rules."

" _Rules_ …" Derek said with disdain.

"Yes, Derek. _Rules_." Casey insisted. "For instance, rule number one: no being a jerk."

"Well, that's a little subjective, don't you think?" Derek joked, crossing his arms.

"If I'm going to be your fake _girlfriend_ , Derek, you have to be nice to me." Casey maintained. "On _and_ off the clock."

"Fine." Derek moved closer to her, "Rule number two…" He said, switching into negotiation mode. "No sappy pet names. Only the basics. Nothing too…flowery."

"Done." Casey agreed. She smiled at him devilishly, "Der-Bear."

"Don't push it, Princess."

"Rule number three…" She continued, "You can't date other girls. We don't need any more gossip about us and our fake-relationship."

"Then _you_ can't date other _guys_ , either." Derek added.

Casey laughed shortly. "Whatever."

"Rule number four," Derek said, "The only people who can know about this plan, are the two of us, Sam, and Emily."

"Agreed."

"Settled. Is that all?" He asked, raising his eyebrows.

"Rule number five." Casey said. "If we ever _do_ need to 'prove' it," She put on a false grimace, "No…tongue or anything." Maybe she was overcompensating a little.

"Fine. But you don't know what you're missing out on." Derek teased, "Most girls would _kill_ for the opportunity."

Casey shrugged, "I'm not most girls."

"Yeah. I guess not."

"Do you think maybe we should…" Casey trailed off, immediately regretting the words out of her mouth.

"What?" Derek smiled curiously, "Practice?"

Casey blushed. "Just…forget I said anything."

"Nah, I mean…" Derek approached her with a toying grin, "We have to be _prepared_ , right?"

"What are you doing?" Casey asked nervously.

"Practicing." Derek answered simply, gradually closing the distance between them.

Casey's breathing quickened, and she tilted her chin up to meet Derek's gaze. He hovered over her, their noses almost touching. Casey couldn't believe what was happening. The urge to kiss him was so strong. She worried that if she played along with his game, Derek would see how badly she craved it.

"You won't smack me if I kiss you, right?" Derek checked.

Casey shook her head slightly.

"Are you sure?"

Casey gave a small nod.

"Last chance to back out, Case." Derek said, so close to kissing that she could feel the words in his breath on her parted lips.

"Do it." Casey murmured, the sound lost as Derek's lips slowly met hers for the first time.


	33. The Strangest Thing

**Chapter 33:** The Strangest Thing

 **Author's Note:** This chapter's mood is inspired by a particular song. I wanted my chapter to have a similar emotional progression from the start of the song to about 4:11. If this interests you, take a listen before you read, or after if you're eager to start reading (It doesn't line up if you read and listen at the same time). Listening to the song is by no means necessary.

 _The song was recommended to me by my friend Vladivastok for use in this story. She often helps me edit my chapters._

 **Song:** Strangest Thing by The War on Drugs

* * *

Casey was intensely awake to her current reality. Derek was kissing her! They were kissing. This was happening…

And it was equal parts terrifying and incredible…

The fleeting flash of clarity filtered away as quickly as it had come, blanketing Casey's thoughts in a haze. She melted into the kiss. Casey wanted to live in this moment; where nothing else mattered besides Derek, and how he was kissing her…and how his hand was now on her waist…

Simple lip-to-lip contact wasn't enough. Casey leaned in, leaving minuscule space between them. She rested her hand lightly on Derek's chest. It was a gesture that allowed her to get even closer to him and doubled as a quick exit strategy to stop herself from taking things too far.

Casey told herself that if she started to lose control, she would push Derek away. Because, who was she kidding? She couldn't let herself live in the moment! Not when there were real consequences involved! All she could do was appreciate the kiss as much as possible without revealing how much she liked it. Casey's heart thumped wildly in her chest as she fixated on her sensations, enjoying everything while it lasted.

After one lingering kiss, Derek pulled away slowly, their lips resisting the separation. They met each other's stunned expressions. Casey saw something in Derek's deep brown eyes, causing her an intense feeling of connection. Something _existed_ in that space between them. She tried to analyze the powerful feeling. Casey was aware of this ' _thing'_ they shared…And whether Derek knew it or not (Casey guessed 'not'), there was something _real_ there.

Casey sensed that Derek was about to pull away further and put an end to their little moment. The whole thing was over before it even started, and Casey had wasted it with her over-thinking.

She _just_ needed a _little_ more.

Casey's hand climbed up and over Derek's shoulder. She pulled him back, bringing his lips down to hers again.

One more kiss couldn't hurt, right? Because, who was she kidding? Casey wanted this.

Derek responded to her immediately. His lips pressed into hers more firmly than before, without caution. His hand on her waist circled around her back, and he suddenly pulled her tight against him, causing her to gasp into the kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck.

Now, not only was Casey _kissing_ Derek, she was _making out_ with him!

And, she was already tempted to break rule number five.

* * *

Kissing Casey was like…

Like…

Derek had nothing to compare it to, but it was _freaking amazing_.

The _instant_ Casey implied they should kiss, Derek was all over it. So much for trying to keep his feelings hidden from her. Instead, he charged lips first into what was most likely a huge mistake.

Huge mistake or not, Derek was doing it.

 _Can something be a huge mistake and still be the best decision you've ever made?_

Derek couldn't get over the fact that he was _kissing_ her. _Casey_! His stubborn, pain-in-the-ass, gorgeous, completely off-limits step sister.

It was exhilarating.

Derek had been tempted to kiss Casey many times before, and he certainly dreamed about it a lot, but he never imagined it could actually _happen_! If someone had told him a few years ago—or even a few days ago—that he would someday kiss Casey, he would have called bullshit.

But now Casey's lips were on his, for real. And kissing Casey _for real_ was so much better than anything Derek could dream up for himself.

He put everything into one slow kiss, knowing it was probably the only one he would ever have with her. He was going to give Casey the kiss of her life and leave her wanting more. Any worry Derek had that Casey would push him away and freak out subsided when she kissed him back, minimizing the space between them.

It was almost physically painful for Derek to hold himself back. He wanted to kiss Casey harder…Hold her closer. He wanted to throw the 'no tongue' rule in the trash and get lost in kissing her.

As much as he would love to push Casey up against his bedroom door and hear her moan his name between kisses…his fantasy only worked if Casey was into it too. Derek was lucky Casey was kissing him at all—he never thought he would get the chance.

Even though Derek could spend all night kissing Casey, the length of the kiss was starting to push it, so he had to stop. He studied Casey's face for her reaction and could feel the tension humming between them. She looked slightly dazed. If only he could kiss her like that every day! She was just so damn beautiful, staring up into his eyes as if she were searching his soul for answers. Derek worried she might find some. There were so many things that went through his head every time he looked at her…but, she couldn't know about any of them. She just couldn't. She would never be his girlfriend—she would never be his anything. Derek would have to settle for fake dates and practice kisses.

He started to back away…it was great while it lasted.

For an instant, Derek thought he was imagining the tug which gravitated him back to Casey's lips. Then, he realized it was Casey, seeking more. He couldn't believe it, but he wasn't about to let his total and utter shock stop him from reveling in it. Casey wanted more, and Derek was going to give it to her, no questions asked.

He got swept away in the kiss, pulling Casey tightly against him, with no room for what ifs. She gasped, and Derek wondered if she had ever been kissed so intensely before—because this was a first for him. The air around them was like a surging voltage as their lips moved together. Not only was Derek trying to give Casey the best kiss of _her_ life, he was also certain this was the best kiss of _his_ life (and he was no rookie).

Derek weaved his hand through Casey's hair, keeping her close. Casey reciprocated by teasing her fingers from the back of his neck into his brown locks. It took tremendous self control for Derek to follow rule number five; he wanted to use all his techniques to give Casey the perfect kiss. Either way though, she seemed to be enjoying herself.

The way Casey pressed into him was unreal. This was a side of her that Derek never experienced before. Her eagerness filled him with a rush that he couldn't explain.

His hand on Casey's back slowly traveled to her hip. She grasped a handful of his hair in response. Derek suppressed the groan forming deep in his throat, knowing that letting it out could send them back into the real world where this was crossing a line.

And it was. Crossing a line.

Just then, Casey crossed another line. It was subtle, but it was there, as Casey's tongue lightly traced Derek's lower lip.

Before Derek could even recognize the sensation, Casey shoved him away.

"Sorry!" She panted hastily, covering her mouth with her hands. "I must have gotten…caught up in the moment or something."

Derek was stunned by the abrupt ending to their kiss. He looked Casey up and down, observing how flustered she was. She was clearly embarrassed by how much the kiss affected her. He was a little impressed with himself.

"Hey, don't apologize for that!" He laughed, aware of how flirty it sounded, but unable to stop himself.

Casey blushed, looking down at the floor "I wasn't…you know." She floundered, "I just—"

"Case." He interrupted. "It's fine."

She looked up at him nervously.

"Seriously." Derek smirked, "It never happened." He crossed his arms and gazed at her knowingly.

Casey noticeably relaxed. "It never happened." She agreed.

Derek knew that Casey wouldn't be able to forget their kiss. Not with how much it affected her. She said it herself, she got caught up in the moment, which was rare for her. Derek wouldn't be able to forget their kiss either—he wouldn't _want_ to forget. Casey could pretend to be unaffected, but Derek knew it wouldn't last. Their kiss was too damn good. There was no way she could deny that the kiss made her feel something.

For as long as they were fake-dating, Derek would enjoy being closer to having something real with Casey, even though he knew it wasn't possible for them to be anything more than step-siblings. He wanted to get as close as possible without actually going there. Derek would risk everything, and walk that fine line, if it meant being able to kiss her again. He wanted more of these intimate moments they kept having—they gave him a high. If Casey ever wanted to get caught up in the moment again, Derek would gladly oblige.

Casey made her way to the door. She paused as she left, casting Derek one final look, "I was never here."

 _If she was never here, does that mean she's calling off the plan?_

Derek followed her out into the hallway. "Case?"

She turned around. "Yeah?" She squeaked.

"Be ready at six tomorrow."


	34. Sugar Pie, Honeybunches of Oats

**Chapter 34: Sugar Pie, Honeybunches of Oats (Part 1)**

 **Author's Note:** Thanks everyone for waiting so patiently for a new chapter. This chapter was meant to be longer and include Derek and Casey's date, but I have been struggling with that part and wanted to at least give you guys something to read until it's finished.

 _PS: You may have noticed that there are 'chapters missing.' This is because I combined a few for better flow, there's still just as much story as before, nothing is missing (except for part of one chapter that in hindsight was redundant/unnecessary). Feel free to read through again as I have improved my older chapters slightly._

* * *

Casey tried to convince herself to go down for breakfast. It would be weird if she didn't. Derek would _notice_ if she didn't. She was distressingly unprepared emotionally, but she knew she would have to see him eventually. And when she _did_ , she would have to pretend like certain 'things' _never happened_. It was going to be rather difficult, considering those 'things' were all Casey could think about! She couldn't stop herself! The memory was like a fresh wound, demanding her full attention. She could recall it so vividly, even physically. If Casey was being honest with herself, reminiscing about those 'things' felt amazing, which was why she couldn't stop, even though she wanted to.

She needed to keep a poker face with Derek. The last thing she needed was for him to find out that she liked him, and that she was completely embarrassed about it. He would never let her live it down! They were going on a date tonight. A fake one, but still. Casey had never been so nervous for a date before. She was nervous to the power of nervous! She couldn't let Derek see how much he…affected her. Their fake date was nerve-wracking enough without him teasing her all night about the anything-but-fake feelings she had for him.

Casey took a deep breath and left her room. She couldn't put off seeing Derek any longer. She had to move forward, and hope for the best. She didn't want him to think she was avoiding him due to certain…'things'. There was no sight of him in the hallway. Casey went downstairs and circled the corner to witness a regular, mundane looking scene.

"I think there's some instant oatmeal in the pantry." Nora suggested as Lizzie surveyed the fridge.

"Ooh, and we have strawberries!" Lizzie said, "I think I can make this work."

"I can't _believe_ we're out of _cereal_." Edwin complained from the kitchen stool. "It's one of my main food groups!"

"Mine too!" Marti whined next to him.

"Well, a healthy breakfast won't hurt you." Nora said, frying up some eggs.

"I know." Marti sighed, "But the house isn't the _same_ without cereal. We've never _not_ had cereal!"

"There must _always_ be at least _one_ full box in the Venturi house." Edwin agreed. "I'm still convinced there's one hidden somewhere. I swear, I'm about to go searching under beds and couch cushions…"

"Morning, Casey!" Nora diverted, noticing her, "Do you want me to fry you up an egg or two? We're a little short on groceries right now…"

"Sure, thanks." Casey said in a small voice, for the sake of being agreeable. She hated the texture of fried eggs, but she wanted to avoid making waves this morning. She sat quietly and hoped that the conversation would overlook her.

It was a seemingly normal day. Too normal. It was unnerving. Casey knew that (in reality) everything was far from normal. She kissed Derek. No one else in the room knew that bombshell, so they went on as usual. It's not like she could _tell_ them or anything! She couldn't.

Casey's little world had flipped on its axis. Apparently, everything around her still needed time to catch up to the fact that things had changed…and would never be the same again.

"Thanks." Casey said softly as Nora placed her breakfast in front of her. She reluctantly ate her gooey egg in silence. As she finished her last bite, Casey was startled by Derek blundering into the kitchen, headed straight for the pantry.

"Where's the cereal?" He asked in disbelief, shifting through the contents of the shelves. Casey stared at his back, clamping her jaw shut, realizing she had dropped it.

 _Derek kissed me! We kissed! That happened! He's right here—with his lips—that I kissed—last night._ She looked down at her empty plate to avoid looking at him.

"We're out of cereal, Derek. I'm sorry." Nora said, "But I'm making eggs!"

"We _can't_ be out of cereal." Derek informed matter-of-factly, "That's…impossible."

Lizzie snorted as she sliced up some strawberries. "Clearly, it's not _impossible_."

"No, no, no." Derek maintained, "The Venturi's _do not_ run out of cereal."

"Well," Nora said, transferring a recently fried egg onto a plate, "We're the McDonald-Venturi's now, and we have more mouths and less time, so _occasionally_ …we run out of cereal." She handed the plate to Derek. "I'll go out for groceries today." She assured everyone, "Don't worry. There will be cereal for tomorrow."

"No _cereal_ …" Edwin sighed, "It's like the world doesn't make _sense_ anymore!"

"Tell me about it." Derek said through a mouthful of egg.

"Everything seems the same to me!" Casey blurted defensively. All eyes turned to her. "Just a normal, everyday…day!" She elaborated, in a high-pitched voice, "Absolutely _nothing_ out of the ordinary!"

 _Shut up! Shut up!_

"Why do you say it like _that_?" Marti asked.

"Like what?" Casey yelped.

"Like there _is_ something out of the ordinary." Marti accused, "What am I missing here?"

"What?" Casey blushed, "Nothing!"

"Casey's too proud to admit that she's one of _us_ now." Derek said, covering for her. He strolled around the kitchen island and slung his arm around her shoulders. "She cares about the cereal _just_ as much as we do. Isn't that _right_ , Case?"

"Right." Casey smiled awkwardly, "Cereal."

"Yup." Derek looked at her teasingly, "As much as you hate to admit it, us Venturi's have had _quite_ the effect on you."

This was _exactly_ what Casey had been trying to avoid! She could hear the double meaning behind Derek's words. So much for 'it never happened'! Derek was trying to embarrass her about how she got carried away with their kiss, but little did he know how right he was about the affect he had on her. She was confident that Derek was unaware of her true feelings. At least she still had _that_ going for her.

"Hopefully, it's only _temporary_." She quipped. She tried to keep her tone playful as to not arouse suspicion from the family, even though she wanted to bite Derek's head off! "Like the flu or something." She shrugged his arm away and stood from the kitchen stool, glaring at him. "Excuse me." She said sarcastically as she stepped around him to leave. It was _one_ thing for him to tease her about their kiss…but in front of the _family_? What was he trying to do? Torture her? Get caught? What kind of game was he playing?

Once Casey was safe in her room, she let out a sigh. " _Okay_ …" She said to herself with sarcastic reassurance, "That went _slightly_ better than the _worst_ it could have gone."

Casey's stupid crush on Derek was a secret she endured alone. Their secret kiss only existed between their lips. And as per rule number 4, 'Operation: Fake Girlfriend" was a secret that could only be shared with a select few. Thankfully, Emily was one of those people. Casey urgently needed to confide in someone. She hated secrets! She was a terrible liar. She got all… _shifty_ when she had a secret! And now, Casey had so many secrets that she couldn't keep track anymore. They threatened to spill out, especially since Derek was flaunting them over breakfast. She called Emily to unload the details of Derek's fake-girlfriend game-plan.

Emily was beyond ecstatic about the whole thing. "So, he's taking you out tonight?"

"Yes—and I am freaking out about it!"

"Why? It's only a _fake_ date… _right_?"

"Right…" Casey paced around her room, "But we're the only people who _know_ that! Everyone else will think it's a _real_ date. People will stare!"

"People have been staring and talking for _weeks_!" Emily reasoned, "It's _summer_! You can't avoid going out in public anymore. This plan will work."

"They've been staring and talking because it's…it's _scandalous_!" Casey argued, "Derek is my _step-brother_! Are we seriously going to let people think we're dating? Even if the plan does work, we will always be remembered as the step-siblings who dated and broke up! And people will think it's gross and wrong, and it will follow us forever! It's stupid to think that people will ever stop staring and talking!"

Emily sighed. "Most people don't even care about the step-sibling thing."

"Of _course_ they do!" Casey whined, "Why else would this _stupid_ _rumor_ be such a big _deal_ to everyone?"

"Because it's you and Derek!"

Casey paled, frozen to her spot. "What is _that_ supposed to mean?!"

"You have to admit," Emily said, "It's a good story."

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Casey slowly sat on her bed. She listened carefully to the phone, eager and anxious about what Emily might say.

"People love the whole forbidden romance thing." Emily explained, "But it's more than that, because it's… _you_ and _Derek_."

"I don't underst—"

"He was the guy who could have any girl he wanted. So, what if he fell for the one girl he couldn't have?"

"Emily, that's ridic—"

"And, what if…" Emily continued, "You felt the same way, but you were both too scared to act on it?"

"Emily—"

"And what if all your fighting was really just a cover for your feelings? It's obvious you both care about each other."

Casey's breath caught in her throat. "Em…"

"When people hear you're dating, that's the backstory story they imagine. Suddenly, all your past interactions—all your little competitions and fights…have new meaning. Everything is re-contextualized. It all becomes romantic, and flirty, and full of hidden feelings! Think about it!" Emily rambled, leaving Casey stuttering for a way out. "You and Derek complain about each other constantly, like you're always on each other's minds! And what about all the times you've wrestled in the hallway over who gets the better lunch bag? What about when Derek didn't want you to date his best friend…remember _that?_ "

"Stop! Just…stop." Casey pleaded. Emily went quiet. "In _theory_ that story sounds…romantic. But it's not like that! Derek doesn't—we're not—" She sighed frustratedly, "None of that is real! _You_ know that, right?"

Emily didn't answer.

"Emily!" Casey prompted, "You _know_ that… _right_?"

"I know you and Derek aren't actually dating." Emily answered, "I'm just saying. It's a nice story…and it makes sense. I can understand why people believe it—root for it, even."

"That's what Lizzie said…" Casey mumbled to herself, trying to wrap her head around the whole thing. She couldn't understand why people would think that way about her and Derek. She may have been harboring secret feelings for him, but the rest of the world didn't know that! Any sane person should think they would be terrible together. People would _never_ accept them—that was a fact. It was a fact that Casey was counting on, so that she might someday get over her unwanted feelings for Derek.

"Huh?"

"Lizzie said the same thing! That the rumors… _make sense_." Casey shook her head. "But it doesn't make sense! _Nothing_ makes sense anymore! I'm so…confused!"

"I know…" Emily consoled, "I know."

"I used to feel so strong and capable! What happened? What do I…? How do I…?"

"Casey. Breathe."

"How am I supposed to go on a date with him, Emily?" Casey asked desperately.

"Okay, Casey…listen." Emily coached, "Take it from me, going on a date with Derek is _not_ a bad thing! You need to cut yourself a little slack and have a good time."

"But—"

"Casey." Emily stopped her, "You deserve to have some fun."

"I don't even know if I remember how to have fun." Casey groaned.

"Well…" Emily said, "Derek has to take you somewhere public, right? So that everyone can see you together?"

"I guess so…"

"Well, if he's taking you where I think he's taking you, then I'll be there. I won't be far if you need me. In fact, I was going to invite you before I found out about your date—Err…fake date."

"What?" Casey gasped, "Where is he taking me?!"

"Just go with the flow." Emily suggested, "Stop worrying, stop overthinking; just enjoy the ride. You'll have fun. I promise."

Casey needed some fun, but she didn't think it would be possible to forget about everything that was going on. "I'll _try_ …" She sighed skeptically, "But if it's a total disaster, will you promise to help me change my identity and move to Guam?"

"If it all goes wrong, I'll move to Guam _with_ you." Emily laughed. "It'll be _fine_ , Casey. I'm sure Derek will take you on an amazing date. He's kind of known for that."

Casey's worries were eating at her. _What if the date is too amazing? What if I completely fall for him?_

She didn't want to feel this crushing anxiety for another minute. Maybe giving in to the lack of control would help, as Emily suggested. If Casey ever wanted to feel like herself again, she had to give it a try. Whether she liked it or not, she was going to have fun. And whatever game Derek was playing with her…she was going to _win_.

* * *

6:20 pm

Waiting for Casey at the bottom of the stairs, Derek felt incredibly lame. Standing around for any longer would seem desperate. Casey was probably a no-show for their date—fake date…whatever.

Derek really hadn't seen this coming. He thought Casey would show up for sure! He figured she might _want_ to go on a date with him—ugh—fake date… _whatever_.

When Derek flirted with the cashier at the mall, he first noticed that Casey might be jealous. Since then, he started paying closer attention to her reactions around him, hoping that he really _was_ her 'mystery guy'. They had an intense chemistry, and Casey would have to be crazy not to notice it. The way she kissed him was…beyond anything Derek had ever experienced. The kiss was all the proof he needed. Casey felt something between them. She had to.

Regardless, real-dating wasn't an option. The thought of confessing his feelings was nauseating. Plus, their 'relationship' would never work. If they dated, they would probably fight too much and break up. It would ruin the family…and Derek loved his family. Two happy homes came together in a chaotic explosion, and when the dust finally settled, they were stronger than ever. No one in the McDonald-Venturi family would give up the merge for anything. If it weren't for the merge, Derek wouldn't have even _met_ Casey. So, either way, Casey was the one girl he could never have. It seemed cruel considering she was the one girl he wanted. The whole fake-dating thing was the temporary solution to that problem.

So long as Casey was his fake girlfriend, Derek could let his guard down. He wouldn't have to constantly remind himself: 'Don't flirt with her! It'll never happen! It can't happen!' On a fake date, he could flirt with her all night! And Casey wouldn't have to pretend like she didn't feel anything. She could get caught up in the moment as much as she wanted. Hopefully she would take the opportunity to live a little.

Of course, Derek had doubts about Casey's feelings for him (doubts which drove him crazy), but he swore he felt _something_ between them. It was like a sixth sense. Whenever a girl was into him, he just knew. So why wasn't Casey gliding down the stairs in slow-mo, like something out of a sappy movie for their date? Fake date… _WHATEVER_! Derek wouldn't give up so easily. This date—fake or not…needed to happen. He suspected Casey wanted to go through with it but was too chicken.

 _She might need a little convincing._

Derek went up to Casey's room, and out of habit, opened the door without knocking. Casey stood in front of her vanity, applying what seemed to be the finishing touches to her makeup (although Derek was admittedly clueless about that kind of stuff).

She rolled her eyes at him through the mirror, "Knock much Derek?"

"Thought you might be chickening out on our _date_." Derek said, strolling inside.

"Well, you thought wrong." Casey said as she applied her lip gloss. "I'm sorry I'm late though. I couldn't figure out what to wear. I have to look the part." She turned to him and fixed her hair into place. "So, how do I look? Think this will work for our… _performance_?"

"You're asking me?" Derek looked Casey up and down. She was wearing a very flattering pair of jeans, and a purple top with sheer sleeves, along with her silver heart necklace. She looked great, but Derek didn't care about outfits. What caught his attention was that Casey seemed completely calm and unphased. She didn't look nervous in the slightest.

"Uh, _yeah_." She said, as if it was obvious, "I'm supposed to be _your_ girlfriend, so your opinion matters here…at least in this one _small_ instance." She crossed her arms, looking bored. "Besides, I have no idea where you're taking me."

"You…look…" Derek tried to find the right word. "Fine." Which was surprising. Of course, Casey would look amazing no matter what, but Derek had expected to find a nervous wreck.

"Typical male brain." Casey rolled her eyes, walking over to him. She appraised his outfit and laughed lightly. "Looks like I'm underdressed." She joked, tugging at the fabric of his t-shirt, admiring the tuxedo print. It was a stupid shirt, but Derek knew Casey would be charmed by the sappy gimmick.

He almost blushed, but he managed a smirk. "There's no way you're underdressed. You even remembered the eyeshadow."

"Eyeshadow?"

"Yeah. That sparkly blue gunk you wear when you want to impress a guy." The question was whether she was wearing it for him, or for the sake of the plan.

"I didn't know you noticed that kind of stuff." Casey said interestedly, taken aback.

"When will you learn?" Derek grinned playfully, "I know everything."

"Everything?" Casey scoffed, "You _wish_ , Derek." She cast him a smug glare as she brushed past him and walked out of her room. "Are we leaving, or what?"

Derek knew what was going on now. He knew why Casey was acting so 'whatever' about their date. She was clearly playing a game of: 'who can be cooler about this whole thing?'

" _You_ don't even know where we're _going_." He teased, casually following her into the hall.

Casey spun on her heel, eyeing Derek curiously. "Where _are_ you taking me? It'd better be somewhere good!" Derek wondered if Casey's eyebrows knew how flirty they were being.

He decided to press her buttons a little. "That depends on what your idea of a good date is. Do you mean _good_ good, or is good a code word for boring?"

"Uh… _Good_ good, obviously."

"Casey, Casey, Casey…" Derek chuckled, "You wouldn't know _good_ good if it bit you on the ass." He brushed past her, heading towards the stairs.

Casey ran ahead, blocking Derek's path a few steps down the first set of stairs. "Where are you taking me, Derek?" She asked again, more demandingly,

Derek rolled his eyes from the top of the stairs. "Somewhere _good_." He sighed, moving closer so that he was one step above her. Challenging her to move.

" _Good_ good?" Casey asked, distancing herself by taking a few steps down.

"Oh, you're not _ready_ for _good_ good." Derek teased. He put one hand on the handrail and one on the wall. He smirked, leaning down closer to her. "You wouldn't be able to handle it."

"Wanna bet?"


	35. Gauntlet of Stares

Casey knew exactly what she was doing when she narrowed her eyes at Derek and said, "Wanna bet?"

Derek could never refuse those words. He lived for those words. Casey cast them at him like bait, knowing perfectly well how flirty they sounded.

She also knew that her logic would be completely flawed if she were talking to any other _normal_ human being. After all, why would she deliberately flirt with a guy if she didn't want him to find out that she liked him?

Derek was _not_ a normal human being, and he had to be treated as such. He was _Derek_. He was practically his own unique species! Over the years, Casey had learned how to deal with the wild, invasive creature known as Derek Venturi.

Casey had to beat Derek at his own game.

She could (and would) return Derek's suggestive banter full-force. If Derek wanted to use _fake flirting_ as a means of mocking her about their kiss, then Casey would show him that she had nothing to hide.

Derek fell for the bait, grinning ear to ear—hook, line, and sinker. _Too easy._ Casey thought with a smirk. She felt a rush. She felt in-control again. She had forgotten how fun it was to compete against Derek in his little games.

"What are the terms?" Derek asked smoothly.

 _Casey hadn't planned this far ahead_.

"Uhh…"

"Where're you guys goin', all fancy?" Casey and Derek jumped at the unexpected voice. Edwin lounged on the couch, raising his eyebrow drastically. "Somewhere good good? What does that even mean?"

Casey cringed, distancing herself from Derek as she realized how close their faces had been. There was limited privacy in the house. They had to be more careful, moving forward. This wasn't a conversation that should be heard by others (although, the same could be said about any conversation with Derek as of late). Casey had been lost in the moment again. It was starting to become a bad habit…one that could ruin everything. She hated being a wildcard in her own life—the biggest wildcard, of course, being Derek (who else?).

"We're going to None of Your Business. It's this new place on Butt Out street." Derek laughed wryly.

"Together?" Edwin asked slowly.

Derek scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "It's not so much… _together…_ "

"More like going to the same location at the same time." Casey finished for him. They exchanged looks, acknowledging their strange inside joke.

"There's a big thing at Smelly Nelly's." Derek explained, "Everyone's going."

"Oh. Okay." Edwin said, dropping the matter entirely and returning his focus to the TV.

As Casey put on her shoes, she wondered if they really _were_ going to Smelly Nelly's. It was getting on her nerves that she didn't know where they were going. She didn't like surprises. As much as she was trying to 'go with the flow'…not knowing was driving her _crazy_.

As they left the house, Edwin called out to them, "Have fun! But not too much fun!" Edwin's laughter turned into a startled grunt as he was hit in the face by a sweater. Derek was known to have disturbingly good aim, and he never failed to impress.

They walked to the Prince, and Casey couldn't help but ask again. "Seriously Derek, where are we going? Smelly Nelly's?

"None of Your Business."

" _Right_. On Butt Out street." Casey rolled her eyes, "Come _on_. Not even a _little_ hint?"

"Would it kill ya to just go with it?" Derek sighed, opening the passenger door for her.

Casey eyed the gesture with curiosity. The fake date hadn't even started yet. There was nobody around to see this but her and the butterflies in her stomach.

"It might." She said, graciously stepping into the Prince. Derek closed the door and walked around the car as Casey fastened her seatbelt. She took some calming breaths while she had the chance. The _date_ part of their 'fake-date' was starting to sink in.

 _I'm going on a date with Derek Venturi_. It still sounded fake.

It was fake.

As Derek got in and started the engine, Casey wasn't sure what to say, so she sat in awkward silence. After a minute or two of silent driving, Casey flipped to her favorite radio station. Derek immediately changed it to his.

"Der-ek!" Casey complained, changing it back to hers. Derek only let it play for about 10 seconds before he switched it again.

Casey pouted. "You're supposed to be nice to me, remember? Rule number _one,_ Derek! It's rule number _one_!"

"So, to be nice, I have to let you pick the music?" Derek rolled his eyes.

"Mhm!"

"Well, I guess _you_ would know _all about_ rule breaking, wouldn't you?" He teased.

"I seem to recall that never happened." Casey asserted with a telling blush.

" _Right_. Sure. Okay, Princess."

"Aha!" Casey exclaimed. "Calling me Princess is breaking rule number two: no sappy pet names!"

"Nooo-ho-ho _way_!" Derek chuckled. "That's _not_ a sappy pet name."

"Oh?" Casey raised her eyebrows, crossing her arms in accusation "So it's derogatory then?" She smirked triumphantly. "That would break rule number one."

"It's…versatile."

"Right. _Sure_. Okay, Derry-kins."

"Might as well forget the rules all together at this point." Derek returned, casting her a glance. It sounded like a dare.

"Yeah, right." Casey deflected, "Keep your eyes on the road, Venturi." She looked out the window to hide her embarrassed expression. "Hey!" She gasped, "We just passed the turn to Smelly Nelly's!"

"Yeah. So?"

"So…we're… _not_ going to Smelly Nelly's?"

"Guess you're gonna to have to wait and see."

"Fine." Casey huffed, "But I get to plan our next date." Her heart beat anxiously at the thought of a second date, and a third. How many dates would they go on before the big, fake break up?

Casey tried to figure out where they were going as Derek took a series of strange turns. "Are you lost?" She asked, "Or are you looking for a good place to hide a body?"

"I'm not lost."

"That's comforting."

Derek laughed, shaking his head, "You think I would murder you?"

"Maybe." Casey defended, "I have no idea what I'm getting myself into because _someone_ refuses to tell me."

"We're almost there."

"Really? Because it seems like we've just come full-circle, and—oh…" Casey trailed off as she realized they were turning towards Smelly Nelly's. "I _knew_ you missed the turn earlier!" She exclaimed.

"Hah. Very funny." Derek smirked, "I just wanted to watch you freak out when we passed it."

"Der-ek!" Casey scolded. "That definitely breaks rule number one. And for the record, I did not freak out."

Derek pulled into a parking space in the far corner of the lot, away from the other cars. "Whatever." He said, "We're here."

Casey felt glued to her seat. The date was _way_ too real now. Derek cut the engine and stepped out of the Prince. Casey forced herself out of the car, but she wasn't ready for whatever awaited her inside.

"You good?" Derek teased, as he realized Casey wasn't walking behind him.

"Okay. Maybe I _am_ freaking out." She admitted. "—But only a little!"

Derek rolled his eyes and shook his head with a smile. He walked over to Casey as she continued to ramble anxiously, "I think I have the right to be a little nervous!" She babbled, "We're only lying to everyone we know, who incidentally are all going to be here!"

Derek placed his hands on her shoulders. "Hey." He said, waiting for Casey to look him in the eye. She held her breath and tried to keep his gaze. "There's nothing to worry about. We go in, we have a good time, and we leave."

Casey shook her head, it sounded too simple.

"Really, it's okay. Just…act natural." Derek said. He realized who he was talking to and tried again. "Look. Just…pretend you're here with someone you really like. Forget that it's fake and forget that it's me. Pretend I'm your 'mystery guy' or whatever. It will be fine, I promise."

Casey paled.

Derek sighed, trying to think of something else to say. "Casey. In all the time I've known you, there hasn't been a single thing you couldn't do when you put your mind to it. So…seriously. You can do this. 'Kay?"

"Okay…" Casey whispered, shocked by Derek's sincerity.

 _Does he really see me that way?_

"I have an idea." Derek said, quickly moving to rummage through the back seat of the Prince.

He emerged with a jacket, which he shook over the pavement (probably to ensure it wasn't harboring a sock). As he approached Casey with it, she realized it was his varsity jacket. Unlike the football players, the hockey players didn't wear their jackets regularly. Most saved their jackets for their girlfriends. Derek never let anyone wear his—not even Sally.

"What?" Casey gasped, "No. Really?" She desperately wanted to wear it, but it also terrified her—and not just because it had been sitting amongst dirty hockey gear.

"You can let _this_ do the talking." Derek said as he put the jacket around Casey's shoulders. She instinctively put her arms through.

Casey looked down at herself, lifting her arms and inspecting them. There was something about wearing a guy's jacket that made her feel weak in the knees. Her knees also felt weak for another reason: this jacket was going to turn heads.

She dropped her arms, "This is insane." She said, "Should we really be doing this?"

"I can't think of a good reason not to."

Casey could think of a million reasons. And they were all _Derek_. But she couldn't think of a reason she could admit out loud.

"I guess we're doing this." Casey took a deep breath and walked determinedly towards Smelly Nelly's, leaving Derek in the dust behind her.

 _I can do this. A date with Derek Venturi. Easy._

Having been caught off guard by Casey's abrupt departure, Derek caught up to her. He slung his arm around her shoulder casually. "You know, we should _probably_ arrive at the same time. Wouldn't want people to think theres trouble in paradise, would we?"

Casey rolled her eyes, but slowed down, falling into a natural rhythm, nestled into Derek's side. They approached the entrance and Derek stepped ahead, opening the door for her. Casey entered to meet her fate.

* * *

The only thing more prominent in Derek's mind than the sensation of Casey's leg on his in the cramped booth was the way she anxiously picked at her lips. Her eyes darted around the restaurant as her fingers worked tirelessly over the delicate skin, drawing Derek's attention like a magnet. As distracted as he was by Casey's mouth, Derek could sense the eyes on them. It seemed the two of them were tonight's real entertainment. The scrutiny they were under reminded Derek that Casey's nerves could blow their cover at any minute—which would ruin everything and destroy his chances of ever getting close to her.

"What are you doing? Stop that."

"I'm just sitting here, Derek." Casey whispered harshly.

"You look like you're up to something." He warned. Casey's eyes widened and she picked at her lip more vigorously. Derek shook the thoughts of her lips out of his head "Ugh, here." He said, taking her hand away from her mouth. He interlaced their fingers. Casey's pulse quickened against his skin. It slowly evened out, and her nerves seemed to calm—her eyes trained on their contact.

When the waitress arrived for their drink order, Casey's hand flinched out from his briefly but settled back comfortably.

He wasn't sure what that meant.

Either Casey realized she _had_ to hold his hand…even though she didn't want to (which was an option Derek wasn't ready to accept).

Or, she remembered she was _allowed_ to hold his hand.

The waitress put a flyer in front of them. Casey awkwardly reached across the table, and Derek smiled to himself, knowing she could have easily let go of him (but chose not to).

"Wait." Casey read the flyer with amazement, "Sheldon Schleper is playing here tonight? Oh my god, where's Emily? Is she here? Does she know?" She looked around excitedly and spotted the dark-haired girl across the restaurant. "Emily!" She called with a projected whisper, much too quiet to be effective. Even though the venue currently resembled a party more than a peaceful dining experience, Casey would never make such a scene in a restaurant. Thankfully, enough heads turned their way (as if there weren't enough already) and Emily caught on.

Emily grabbed a clueless Sam by his elbow, dragging him along to Casey and Derek.

"Hey, guys!" She chirped.

"Emily!" Casey gushed, "You didn't tell me Sheldon Schleper was playing here tonight!"

"I just found out the other day! Remember, I was going to invite you but…"

The girl's animated conversation drifted away as Derek noticed Sam, whose stare was locked on Derek and Casey's entwined hands.

 _Shit._

He forgot to tell Sam.

Jaw dropped, Sam's eyes darted between Derek, Casey, hands, booth, and varsity jacket, seemingly unable to piece together what was in front of him. Finally, Sam's eyes landed on Derek's. A mixture of confusion, anger, and intrigue pierced into Derek as he tried to communicate to Sam with only a look: _I'll. Explain. Later_.

"—Anyway." Emily's voice interrupted, "We'll leave you lovebirds to it." She winked, towing Sam away as he looked over his shoulder in disbelief.


	36. Famous

**Author's Note:** It has been so long since I have updated. I have been struggling with lots of writer's block and have been lacking inspiration. Finally, I found some rhythm again and got part of this chapter done to my liking. I was hoping to release much more of the date in one chapter, but I figured something is better than nothing! I hope you enjoy. More is coming!

* * *

Due to the constant barrage of questions and comments from their peers, Casey was spared of any awkward small talk with Derek. People wanted to see them up close, to make sure they were the real deal, and to gawk at the spectacle. As soon as one interrogator left their table, another would sit down and the whole process would start again. Eventually, people gave up the pleasantries of pretending to approach as friends and literally started queuing up.

The response was surprisingly positive. Casey could have _sworn_ people would judge them harshly, but most people were _enthusiastically_ on board. Most unnerving was the number of people who said 'finally!' or 'it makes so much sense!'. The words stoked a flame within Casey; she recognized how dangerous the hope was and tried to control the blaze. It could only lead to heartbreak.

Of course, there were also negative comments—insults from passing douchebags, and the oh, so popular 'it's weird, but….'

They navigated questions, building an elaborate castle of lies. All the while, Casey was distracted by Derek's leg against hers and the way his thumb stroked circles over her palm.

In the chaos leading up to their performance, Casey hadn't considered they should at least get their stories straight first. Then again, she hadn't expected so many questions. Luckily, Derek and Casey answered everyone's questions with surprising ease by staying close to the truth and filling in the gaps with whatever people wanted to hear. Their fake relationship had developed its own backstory with varying degrees of truth.

Keeping track of all the alternate versions of the truth under such intense scrutiny was a challenge. Casey wondered why on earth she would agree to this in the first place! Derek's plan made no sense! Why would they go out of their way to make sure everybody thought they were together, if they wanted people to stop—thinking—that?!

Casey had seen so many faces tonight and was surprised they knew so many people. She wasn't sure if she believed in God, but she prayed for the gossip to stay within her peer group. If any of this reached their parents, they were done for

Another familiar face slipped into the seat across from them. "Well…if it isn't the famous _Dasey_." Kendra teased. A brawny stranger sat down as well, wrapping his thick arm around Kendra's shoulders.

"Daisy?" Casey asked.

"Yeah! Like…Derek and Casey. Dasey! It's your couple name! Like _Brangelina_."

"Wouldn't that be pronounced like Casey but with a D? Day-cee?"

Kendra dismissed her, "That's not as fun!"

"Yep." Derek chimed in with a near undetectable hint of sarcasm, "That's us!"

Derek pulled his hand away from Casey's. Before she could feel disappointed by this, Casey's heart skipped as Derek's arm wrapped around her shoulder, pulling her tight against him. His arm relaxed and stayed put as Casey tried to remember how to breathe like a normal person.

Kendra regarded them like the world's most interesting TV drama, "I never saw it coming, but it makes so much sense! It's like, _so_ perfect. When you _think_ about it, it's actually like— _finally!_ So anyway, how did…this…happen?" She asked, motioning to the two of them.

Casey looked up at Derek, stunned for the millionth time at having him so close. She quickly turned away to answer Kendra. They'd been asked this question a lot already and repeated their answer all night, like a mantra.

"Well, it just…happened." Casey said matter-of-factly, "After Truman's party, rumors spread that Derek and I were… _together_. We fought the rumors initially, but then we realized that _maybe_ people were picking up on something. After that, it was pretty hard to ignore." She shrugged against Derek's side, "Now, we're together for real."

While Casey may have looked level-headed to onlookers, her mind grasped at straws to understand the layered situation she was in, and her stomach churned with the knowledge that one wrong word could ruin everything..

The smile on Kendra's face widened and she nudged the stoic man sitting next to her. "Aren't they adorable Glenn?" He gave a small nod and an appreciative smile to his tiny blonde counterpart. "Oh, by the way guys, this is my boyfriend Glenn. He is the _perfect_ man." Kendra clutched onto his bicep adoringly. Kendra's idea of the perfect man was evidently the strong and silent type.

"Let me guess…" Derek laughed, "Glenda?"

"Exactly! You get it." Kendra said cloyingly, leaning across the table to tap Derek on the nose, causing his arm to tense around Casey. Kendra sat back and settled into Glenn's side, letting out a dramatic sigh. "Glenda _would_ be the current 'it' couple if not for the notoriety of Dasey. It's no contest unfortunately."

"Oh, uh…sorry?" Casey offered.

"You're forgiven." Kendra smiled, " _If_ you tell me about your first kiss. I'm just _dying_ to know how it happened."

Casey felt a blush rise to her cheeks, as it did the last 10 times they answered this question. She could practically feel Derek smirking beside her.

"We were talking about the rumors." Derek said, stealing the spotlight, "Well…actually, we were fighting." He looked down at Casey intently, like she was the only person on the planet. She stared at the slight curve at the corner of his mouth and silently cursed him for being so good at this.

Suddenly, the waitress arrived at their table with a pitcher of water to refill Casey's glass. Derek continued on with the story "We couldn't help ourselves really. I don't think either of us saw it coming."

In an attempt to shift her focus away from Derek, Casey glued her eyes to the pouring water. Derek's intense gaze burned in her peripheral vision. He was toying with her, she knew it.

"Thanks!" Casey interrupted when the glass was full, sliding it closer to herself. It became unbalanced, and she knocked it over. She righted it before the rest of the water could spill. "Oh my gosh! I am so sorry!" She sputtered, grabbing all the nearby napkins to mop up the shame.

"It's no problem…" The waitress assured as Kendra cackled, applauding, "I'll get some more napkins." Derek pressed his lips together, unable to contain his amusement.

They were able to clean up the spill quickly and the waitress brought Casey new water. Casey hoped Derek wasn't reading too much into things. The last thing she needed was for him to think she was turning Klutzilla—for him!

When everything was settled, Kendra let out a contented sigh "Classic."

"I would make the obvious joke," Derek smirked, "But I don't wanna be in the doghouse."

Casey smirked back at him boldly, "Don't push your luck." Derek lit up at her response, and his eyes flickered to her lips. She suddenly felt dizzy. "I—I'm going to go clean up a bit. I'll be right back." She said, looking around the table. She went to leave, but hesitated, turning back to give Derek a quick peck on the cheek.

Scurrying away, Casey didn't look back for his reaction.

* * *

Derek watched, dumbstruck, his cheek tingling as Casey walked towards the bathroom with VENTURI plastered on her back.


	37. Famous Part 2

**Author's note: Another short chapter. I think I'll make them short whenever I can just so I can get content out quickly. Then I may go in and combine some chapters after several have been posted.**

 **Question for my readers, what are some of your favorite Dasey tropes? If I can fit them into my plans for this story, I will.**

* * *

Derek watched, dumbstruck, his cheek tingling, as Casey walked towards the bathroom with VENTURI plastered on her back.

"The way you look at her is pretty intense!" Kendra remarked.

Derek shook his head. "Huh?" He felt the need to deny it, even though he knew Kendra was right. He had been making a _point_ of looking at Casey intensely (because he could justify doing it for the plan, and because he loved the way it affected her), but Kendra picked up on a genuine reaction and it made him feel exposed.

"Totally steamy. It makes me think…you _gotta_ be doing it _all the time_ , what with living under the same roof. Either that or…not at all. No _wonder_ the two of you are overflowing with sexual tension."

Derek rolled his eyes, "Thanks for the diagnosis, Dr. Phil." He crossed his arms smugly, "I'll say what we have been saying since we got here. No, we have _not_ had sex." Kendra opened her mouth to say something, but Derek cut her off, "And no, we will _not_ be answering any follow up questions to that."

A brief flash of disappointment crossed Kendra's face, "Fine." Her lips curved into a smile and her eyes narrowed as she tilted her head. "No questions, just an observation." She paused, seemingly for dramatic effect, "Things must be pretty serious if you're willing to hold out."

Derek's eyes narrowed back. He hadn't been defensive with anyone else, but Kendra was getting to him. "This is basically our first date. Maybe dial it back a notch."

Kendra flipped her hair over her shoulder. "Oh, _chill_ _out_ Der!" She teased playfully, "What I'm _trying_ to _say_ is…" She sighed, as if to swallow her pride, "You two look good together."

Derek relaxed at Kendra's surprisingly genuine tone, "Thanks…" He contemplated for a moment, "I think we do, yeah."

"If _anyone_ had _doubts_ that you two are together…they're _long_ gone by now!" Kendra continued enthusiastically, "I mean, the way you two… _are_ around each other _totally_ goes against your little _anti-PDA_ rule."

Derek hadn't thought about that. How was he supposed to justify _that_ to Casey? "Yeah, well…" He defended, "Casey is the exception to _every_ rule."

Kendra put her hand to her heart and melted into Glenn. "That's like, insanely cute." She gushed while Derek rolled his eyes, "Isn't that cute?"

Glenn put his own large hand over his heart and surprised Derek by speaking for the first time in a soft baritone, "Hell yeah, it's cute."

* * *

Looking in the mirror, Casey took a deep breath. She needed a break from her 'date' because she was too overwhelmed! In fact, Casey couldn't remember the last time she _didn't_ feel overwhelmed. She had always thought she was resilient, strong, and adaptable (even with her self-admitted aversion to change), but she wasn't so sure anymore. So far, Casey's summer had been a _nightmare_ , and she had _not_ been coping well. So much for the best summer ever…she could barely breathe! She wanted to feel normal again. Instead of spending the summer prepping for university and having fun (like she _should_ be doing), Casey was in a situation she could barely fathom, dealing with emotions she couldn't understand! The sight of herself in _his_ varsity jacket was _insane_.

There had only been a few moments where Casey felt able to regain some control in her life. It seemed the only time she felt normal was when she would steer into the skid.

It was clear Derek was trying to get a rise out of her through the ways he was looking at her and touching her, trying to get her flustered and embarrassed. It didn't help that she seemed to be unable to hide her reactions to him. When she kissed Derek on the cheek, she could feel his shock. It was fun to have the upper hand on him, if only for a second. It was like taking her destiny into her own hands, even if she _was_ playing with fire.

The way she saw it, she could try to hide her reactions, fail, and risk outing her feelings… _or_ she could play along with whatever game Derek was playing, and beat him at it. She could admit, that _sometimes_ , his games were fun (when they weren't infuriating). She was _done_ feeling punished by some cosmic force, pushing her towards some terrifying unknown. It was time to take life by the horns, roll with the punches, weather the storm, and all the other pep talk clichés.

The bathroom door opened, "Casey?" Emily walked in, concern on her face. "I uh…saw you come in. I thought I'd check up on you. You okay?"

"I'm fine…" Casey assured unconvincingly, "Just taking a break from the madness! Thanks, Em."

Emily looked in each stall to make sure they were empty. "Are you _sure_ you're okay?" She asked once she knew they were alone.

"Honestly, I don't know!" Casey sighed frustratedly, "I'm _sick_ of being confused, I'm _sick_ of all the _questions_ , and I'm sick of all the lying!"

"What are you confused about? Just…everything?"

"Yeah!" Casey threw her arms up in the air. "Well…" Her arms dropped with a sigh, "I _guess_ I'm _mostly_ confused about _Derek_."

"What _about_ Derek?" Emily asked cautiously.

Casey's face turned red, "Just…I don't know! He—he…" She thought carefully about her words, making sure not to reveal anything about her feelings for Derek and risk losing her best friend. "He's so… _unphased_ by everything, you know? And I'm so… _not_. And he can see that, and he is _torturing_ me with it! He's trying to get me flustered and…" She groaned, "It's working."

Emily couldn't help but laugh a little, " _That's_ because you're letting _him_ have all the fun! Give him a taste of his own medicine! Torture him back! If _anyone_ can make _Derek Venturi_ flustered, it's you."

A scoff escaped Casey's lips, "I don't know about _that_ …"

" _I_ do." Emily smirked, "You could have him wrapped around your finger if you wanted."

Casey laughed humorlessly, rolling her eyes and crossing her arms. "Now _that's_ ridiculous."

Emily shrugged, "Don't you want to _toy_ with him a bit?"

A smile tugged at the corner of Casey's mouth, "Maybe a little."


End file.
